Putin Warns U.S. With Revised Nuclear Doctrine

Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a revised nuclear doctrine on November 19, 2024, significantly lowering the threshold for deploying nuclear weapons in response to conventional attacks, Guy Faulconbridge and Anton Kolodyazhnyy reported for Reuters.

The changes underscore Moscow's efforts to deter Western involvement in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. I Photo: Минобороны России Facebook

The announcement follows a decision by the U.S. to permit Ukraine to fire American missiles deep into Russian territory. Moscow has repeatedly warned that such actions would implicate NATO nations directly in the conflict.

Under the new doctrine, Russia could consider a nuclear response to conventional attacks that create "critical threats" to the sovereignty or territorial integrity of Russia or its ally Belarus.

This marks a notable shift from the previous 2020 doctrine, which limited nuclear use to cases of nuclear attack or existential threats to the state.

Experts like Alexander Graef, a senior researcher at the University of Hamburg, observed that the changes underscore Moscow's efforts to deter Western involvement in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

However, the new policy further complicates an already tense geopolitical landscape.s