By Smartencyclopedia Newsdesk

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a significant revision to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, lowering the threshold for authorizing a nuclear strike. The updated policy, announced on the eve of the 1,000th day since Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine, reflects escalating tensions with the West, particularly the United States.

The doctrine, titled the “Basics of State Policy in the Field of Nuclear Deterrence”, now permits Moscow to consider deploying nuclear weapons in response to conventional military aggression. Specifically, Russia or its ally Belarus may use nuclear arms if conventional attacks pose a “critical threat to their sovereignty or territorial integrity.”

Additionally, the policy defines aggression by a non-nuclear power, when backed by a nuclear state, as a “joint attack.” This phrasing, viewed as a clear reference to NATO’s collective defense structure, implies that any NATO-backed attack, even by a non-nuclear member, could be met with nuclear retaliation.

A Shift in Strategy

This marks a stark departure from the 2020 version of Russia’s nuclear policy, which stipulated that nuclear weapons could only be used in the event of a nuclear strike or if a conventional attack endangered the state’s very existence.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that the revision was long in the making and aimed at clarifying the “inevitability of retaliation” against any adversaries. He dismissed suggestions that the timing was linked to recent U.S. policy moves, calling it “a timely update to reflect the current geopolitical landscape.”

The move follows reports of President Joe Biden’s administration permitting Ukraine to launch strikes deep into Russian territory using U.S.-supplied long-range missiles. This decision had already drawn sharp warnings from Moscow, which has consistently viewed NATO’s military support for Ukraine as an existential threat.

Escalating Tensions

The revised doctrine underscores the Kremlin’s perception of NATO as an aggressor bloc. It explicitly states that any attack against Russia or Belarus by a NATO member will be treated as aggression from the entire alliance.

This development comes as Russia continues to bolster its domestic security measures. In parallel, the country has ramped up the production of mobile bomb shelters designed to withstand radiation, shock waves, and other potential consequences of nuclear conflict.

Global Ramifications

With Russia and the United States holding 88% of the world’s nuclear arsenal, any shift in nuclear posture reverberates globally. Analysts warn that the lowering of the threshold increases the risk of miscalculation, especially amid high-stakes conflicts like the war in Ukraine.

NATO has yet to issue an official response to the revised doctrine. However, the West is likely to view this as an aggressive signal, further straining already frayed relations.

As Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine grinds on, Mr. Putin’s doctrine solidifies a more assertive stance in the face of perceived Western threats. Whether this will deter adversaries or provoke further escalation remains a critical question.

Conclusion

With the stakes higher than ever, the world watches closely as Moscow signals its readiness to defend its interests at any cost. As diplomacy wanes and hardline policies dominate, the path forward remains fraught with uncertainty.