On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin officially made it easier for Russia to use nuclear weapons. This decision came just a few days after the U.S. allowed Ukraine to attack inside Russia using American missiles.
The Kremlin announced that Putin approved a new nuclear policy, which states that Russia could launch a nuclear strike if it is attacked by a non-nuclear country that is backed by a nuclear power. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Ukraine used U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to hit a military site in the Bryansk region of Russia, marking the first time these weapons have been used inside Russian territory.
Although Russian air defenses managed to intercept five of the missiles, debris from one of them caused a small fire at a military facility. Fortunately, there were no injuries or significant damage reported. U.S. officials confirmed that the missiles used in the attack were indeed American-made.
While Ukraine has previously targeted locations deep in Russia, it had only used homemade drones until now. The Ukrainian military stated they successfully hit a military arsenal in Bryansk but did not specify which weapons were used.
This update to Russia’s nuclear policy is the most serious warning from the Kremlin yet. Since invading Ukraine over 1,000 days ago, Russia has frequently warned of the potential for nuclear conflict. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained that this change was necessary to reflect the current political landscape, especially in light of the U.S. allowing Ukraine to use Western missiles against Russia.
Peskov emphasized that if Ukraine continues to use Western missiles against Russia, it could lead to a nuclear response, although he noted that using nuclear weapons would be a “last resort.” A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department responded that Russia’s new policy was not surprising and accused Russia of trying to intimidate Ukraine and other nations with its nuclear threats.
Earlier in the year, Putin had hinted at this update to Russia’s nuclear policy, warning the West against allowing Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory. The new doctrine states that any act of aggression against Russia or its allies by a non-nuclear country, supported by a nuclear power, would be seen as a joint attack. It also mentions that Russia might use nuclear weapons if its sovereignty or the integrity of Belarus is threatened.
This change follows warnings from Putin to the U.S. and NATO that using long-range weapons against Russia would effectively mean a war between NATO and Russia. Although the Biden administration had been cautious about providing Ukraine with long-range missiles, they eventually authorized the use of ATACMS missiles for limited strikes inside Russia after learning that North Korean troops had joined the conflict on Russia’s side.
This recent shift has raised concerns among analysts, who believe it gives Russia more room to respond with nuclear weapons to what it sees as Western attacks. Some experts suggest that Putin may be trying to present the West with a stark choice: continue the conflict at the risk of nuclear war or negotiate peace on Russia’s terms. This situation is viewed as a highly dangerous moment in the ongoing conflict.
