The President of Russia Vladimir Putin has signed an order that approves a new version of the doctrine "Fundamentals of State Policy in the Field of Nuclear Deterrence."
According to the document, the fundamental principle of the doctrine remains unchanged. It states that nuclear weapons (NW) are a last resort for protecting the country's sovereignty. However, given the new realities of the global geopolitical landscape, as well as the emergence of new military threats and risks to Russia, it was necessary to clarify the conditions under which NW may be used.
Thus, the category of states and military blocs subject to nuclear deterrence has been expanded. Additionally, the list of military threats requiring such actions has been updated. Furthermore, aggression from any non-nuclear state, but with the involvement or support of a nuclear state, will now be considered a joint attack on the Russian Federation.
As reported by IA Regnum, discussions about changes to Russia's nuclear doctrine began in September following news that Kyiv might be allowed to strike deep into Russian territory using Western long-range ballistic missiles. On September 25, President Vladimir Putin proposed updating it.
On October 8, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Grushko stated that Russia is updating its nuclear doctrine so that its adversaries do not harbor illusions regarding Moscow's readiness to ensure the country's security by all available means.
The updated version of the nuclear doctrine stipulates that aggression against the Russian Federation from a non-nuclear state, but with the involvement or support of a nuclear state, will be considered a joint attack.
The new escalation occurred after the American newspaper The New York Times reported on November 17, citing its sources, that the current U.S. President Joe Biden has allowed Ukraine to use long-range ATACMS missiles for strikes on Russian territory for the first time.