International Russia expands doctrine on the use of its nuclear weapons

According to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, the nuclear power Russia is adapting its doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons to the tense international situation. Russia's list of military threats against which nuclear weapons can be used as a deterrent has been expanded, Putin said at a meeting of the National Security Council in the Kremlin in Moscow.

The new doctrine increases the risk, particularly for Western nuclear powers such as the USA and France, of becoming the target of a Russian counter-attack, should they support the nuclear-free Ukraine in an aggression against Russia, for example.

Putin said verbatim: "I would like to draw your attention to something else: The updated version of the document suggests that aggression against Russia by a non-nuclear-weapon state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear-weapon state, should be considered a joint attack on the Russian Federation." The Kremlin published a video of Putin's speech at the beginning of the meeting of the Security Council body on nuclear deterrence.

Putin: Protection also applies to Belarus

Putin emphasized that the newly drafted documents on the use of strategic nuclear weapons also apply to neighbouring Belarus, which forms a union state with Russia. Putin had already had nuclear weapons deployed there. Experts from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Security Council and other authorities would have drawn up the doctrine. "We can see that the current military-political situation is changing dynamically," said Putin.

Accordingly, the use of nuclear weapons is also possible if the existence of the two states is threatened by attacks with conventional weapons. Putin pointed out that this could be the case, for example, in the event of massive air attacks with fighter planes, cruise missiles, drones, hypersonic weapons and other flying objects. However, the nuclear strategy also stipulates that the use of nuclear weapons is the ultimate measure to protect state sovereignty.

In the course of his war, Putin had repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons and also put the arsenal in a state of increased readiness. Russia has been discussing a change to its nuclear doctrine for some time against the backdrop of the West's arms deliveries to Ukraine. The possibility of a pre-emptive strike has also been repeatedly discussed. Until now, the doctrine has only permitted the use of nuclear weapons as a counter-strike. Putin emphasized that Russia has always handled the issue of nuclear weapons responsibly.

Ukraine demands release of long-range weapons

Putin's appearance in the Security Council, including the defense minister and the intelligence chiefs, took place before President Joe Biden's meeting with Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyi scheduled for this Thursday in the USA. Selenskyj wants to present his "victory plan" in the defensive battle against the Russian war of aggression. For example, he is calling for the release of long-range weapons for strikes against military targets far into the Russian hinterland.

However, Chancellor Scholz has also ruled out the delivery of long-range precision weapons to Ukraine in the future, irrespective of decisions made by alliance partners. Only recently, he reaffirmed his rejection of the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles with a range from Ukraine to Moscow (around 500 kilometers) on the grounds that this would entail "a major risk of escalation". The NATO partners and nuclear powers USA, Great Britain and France have delivered cruise missiles with ranges of up to 300 kilometers.