Kremlin Chickens Out Of Using Nukes After Crimea Bridge Blast

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has dismissed the possibility of Russia using nuclear weapons in retaliation for a massive explosion on a key strategic bridge linking Crimea and Russia, Russian state media RIA Novosti reported, Katharina Krebs wrote for CNN.

Photo Insert: Russia's retaliation for the destruction of the Crimean Bridge came in the form of missile strikes.

Peskov was asked by RIA whether the attack on the bridge could trigger an activation of Russia's nuclear doctrine because it was "aimed at destroying critical civilian infrastructure of the Russian Federation."

“No. It’s a completely wrong formulation of the question,” Peskov replied to RIA. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday called the emergency on the Crimean bridge "a terrorist attack aimed at the destruction of the critical infrastructure of the Russian Federation."

In 2020, Putin signed a decree updating Russia’s nuclear doctrine that allowed for the use of nuclear weapons if an attack were made on "critical state or military facilities," and it led to "the disruption of Russian nuclear forces," according to a copy of doctrine on the Kremlin's website.

Putin will hold an operational meeting of his Security Council on Monday, following the humiliating setback on the bridge.

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