Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning to the West regarding nuclear weapons in light of recent air assaults on Russian territory from Ukraine. In a newly updated nuclear doctrine, Putin declared that any attack on Russia by a non-nuclear nation, especially with support from a nuclear power, would be viewed as a combined assault on Russia itself.
Putin emphasized, "It is proposed that aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state, be considered as their joint attack on the Russian Federation." He further indicated that Russia might resort to nuclear weapons if it detects a significant launch of air and space attack assets, including aircraft, cruise missiles, and drones, crossing its borders.
In response, Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, remarked that "Russia no longer has any instruments to intimidate the world apart from nuclear blackmail," asserting that such tactics would ultimately fail.
Zelenskyy has expressed intentions to seek approval from U.S. and European allies for longer-range weapons to target deep within Russian territory. However, the Biden administration has clarified that it has not authorized Kyiv to use U.S. weapons for strikes inside Russia.
Russia's nuclear policy, established in a 2020 decree by Putin, outlines the circumstances under which Russia might employ nuclear weapons, including in response to a nuclear attack or a conventional attack that threatens the nation’s existence. Concerns about the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons by Russia were raised in 2022, with U.S. officials warning about the serious consequences such actions could entail. Together, Russia and the U.S. control approximately 88% of the world's nuclear arsenal.
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