Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a new nuclear doctrine on Tuesday, lowering the threshold for a nuclear strike in response to a broader range of conventional attacks, Reuters reports.
The updated doctrine allows Russia to consider using nuclear weapons if an attack on Russia or its ally Belarus creates a critical threat to their sovereignty or territorial integrity. The new doctrine also states that any attack by a non-nuclear power supported by a nuclear power will be viewed as a joint attack, and any attack by one NATO member will be treated as an attack by the entire alliance.
This shift marks a significant change from Russia’s previous doctrine, which only allowed nuclear retaliation in cases of nuclear strikes or existential threats to the Russian state.
The change comes amid heightened tensions after the US reportedly allowed Ukraine to use American missiles to strike deep inside Russian territory, a move that Russia views as direct involvement by NATO members.
