Kremlin States Revisions to Russia’s Nuclear Policy Serve as a Warning to the West, According to Reuters

Moscow – The Kremlin stated on Thursday that updates to Russia’s nuclear weapons doctrine, as outlined by President Vladimir Putin, serve as a warning to Western nations about potential repercussions for any involvement in attacks on Russia.

On Wednesday, Putin indicated that Russia might resort to using nuclear weapons if it were targeted by conventional missiles and asserted that any attack on Russia, supported by a nuclear power, would be regarded as a collaborative assault.

The decision to amend Russia’s nuclear stance is largely a reaction to discussions in the United States and Britain regarding the possibility of allowing Ukraine to utilize Western conventional missiles against Russian targets.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that revisions had been made to a key policy document titled "The Foundations of State Policy in the Sphere of Nuclear Deterrence."

When queried by journalists whether these changes were intended as a message to the West, Peskov affirmed, "This should be considered a definite signal."

He elaborated, stating, "This is a warning to these countries about the consequences of their involvement in attacks on our nation through various means, not necessarily nuclear."

Peskov characterized the current global situation as an "unprecedented confrontation," which he blamed on the "direct involvement of Western nations, including nuclear powers," in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

He mentioned that a decision regarding the publication of the updated nuclear doctrine would be announced at a later time.

Russia’s existing nuclear doctrine, established by a decree from Putin in 2020, permits the use of nuclear weapons in response to a nuclear attack or a conventional assault that poses a threat to the nation’s existence.

When asked if the possibility of lifting a post-Soviet moratorium on nuclear tests was part of the discussions regarding the doctrine changes, Peskov declined to comment, citing the confidential nature of Wednesday’s meeting.