Putin issues new nuclear threat against West, Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a fresh nuclear warning to the West and Ukraine, stating that any conventional attack on Russia supported by a nuclear power would be seen as a joint assault.

This declaration came during a meeting with the Russian Security Council on September 25, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Putin explained that, due to "the emergence of new sources of military threats and risks for Russia and our allies," the Defence Ministry and other state agencies had conducted a comprehensive year-long review of the nation's nuclear policy.

He remarked, "The updated version of the document proposes that aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear-weapon state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear-weapon state, should be considered as a joint attack on the Russian Federation."

The Russian leader clarified that the conditions for deploying the country’s nuclear weapons would be based on "reliable information about a massive launch of aerospace attack means and their crossing of our state border."

"We reserve the right to use nuclear weapons in the event of aggression against Russia and Belarus," he added.

Note that, this announcement follows a series of nuclear-related threats from Russian officials, coinciding with Ukraine's ongoing appeals to the United States and other allies to ease restrictions on arms supplies. Ukraine is currently prohibited from using longer-range missiles provided by its allies to strike deep inside Russian territory.

Although Ukraine does not possess nuclear weapons, it has received significant military backing from nuclear-armed nations, including the United States, since Russia's incursion in February 2022.

By Khagan Isayev