Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently announced changes to the country’s nuclear doctrine, warning that Russia could respond with nuclear weapons to a conventional attack that poses a “critical threat to our sovereignty.” This change appears to lower the threshold for Russia to use atomic weapons and comes in the midst of Ukraine’s Western allies considering whether to provide longer-range weapons to Kyiv.
Putin emphasized that Russia would use nuclear weapons in response to a conventional attack by a non-nuclear power with the support of a nuclear power, viewing it as a joint attack on the Russian Federation. The decision to use nuclear weapons lies primarily with Putin, who must approve the final text of the revised doctrine.
Despite not directly mentioning Ukraine, the revisions are believed to be a response to the changing global landscape and the threats Russia faces. The country has been incrementally advancing its position in Ukraine over the past few years.
Putin’s announcements have been met with criticism, with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calling them a form of blackmail. The revisions to the nuclear doctrine also brought Belarus under Russia’s nuclear umbrella, as President Alexander Lukashenko has allowed Moscow to deploy troops and tactical nuclear weapons in the country.
Experts have warned that a major nuclear power like Russia loosening the conditions for nuclear use in its declaratory policy is concerning. Together with the US, Russia controls 88% of the world’s nuclear warheads, making any escalation in the region a cause for global concern.
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Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
