Russian president approves updated nuclear doctrine

President Vladimir Putin has officially signed a decree outlining the key principles of Russia’s updated nuclear deterrence strategy.

The new doctrine, published on the official portal of legal acts, marks a significant revision of Moscow’s nuclear policy, Caliber.Az reports.

The decree was first proposed by Putin on September 25, and the approved version expands the range of states and military alliances subject to nuclear deterrence. The revised doctrine also alters the criteria under which Russia would consider an attack to have occurred, providing the Kremlin with broader justification for a potential nuclear response.

The adjustments to the nuclear doctrine reflect a shift in Russia's strategic posture, broadening the circumstances under which Moscow might resort to nuclear weapons.

This move is expected to further intensify international concern about the security implications of Russia’s nuclear strategy.

Just weeks before the November US presidential elections, Putin ordered changes to the nuclear doctrine to say that any conventional attack on Russia aided by a nuclear power could be considered to be a joint attack on Russia.

The Ukraine war has triggered the gravest confrontation between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis - considered to be the closest the two Cold War superpowers came to intentional nuclear war.

Earlier on November 19, Putin's Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that changes to Russia's nuclear strategy were developed but were yet to be officially documented.

The adjustments to Russia's nuclear doctrine were initially outlined by President Putin during a Security Council meeting on nuclear deterrence on September 25. Among the key changes, Putin announced that “the category of states and military alliances subject to nuclear deterrence was expanded.”

Additionally, the new doctrine specifies that any aggression from a non-nuclear state, but with the involvement or support of a nuclear power, will be treated as a joint attack. The strategy also includes provisions for the use of nuclear weapons in response to certain military threats, such as the mass launch of strategic and tactical aircraft, cruise missiles, drones, and hypersonic or other flying vehicles crossing Russia’s borders. Aggression against Belarus, a close ally of Russia, could also result in a nuclear strike.

In related remarks, Peskov also addressed Russia's position on improving relations with the United States. He emphasized that while Russia is open to normalization of ties, it cannot act alone in this process. "Russia, as the president has said, is open to normalization. But we cannot dance the tango alone, and we do not intend to do so," Peskov remarked.

He also pointed out that Russia did not initiate the "sanction race" but rather, it was the United States that began imposing sanctions.

By Vafa Guliyeva