Russia approves new nuclear doctrine, warning the US and Ukraine

President Vladimir Putin announced on Tuesday that Moscow has formally lowered the threshold for deploying nuclear weapons, a decision that follows Ukraine’s recent strike on Russia’s Bryansk region using U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles.

The revised Russian nuclear doctrine allows for a nuclear response even to conventional attacks on Russian soil, particularly those involving nations backed by nuclear powers, such as Ukraine with U.S. military support. This change follows a missile attack early Tuesday when Ukraine reportedly launched six long-range ATACMS missiles at a Russian military facility in Bryansk, with Russia claiming to have intercepted most of them while one missile reportedly struck an ammunition depot.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the attack as an escalation and warned the West, particularly the U.S., that any use of long-range missiles on Russian territory would signify a major shift in the conflict. He noted that Western military involvement would be viewed as an act of war, significantly altering the dynamics of the ongoing conflict.

The new doctrine broadens the conditions under which Russia might resort to nuclear weapons, including large-scale airstrikes involving ballistic and cruise missiles, drones, or other aircraft. While the doctrine stops short of committing to immediate nuclear retaliation, it signals Russia’s growing readiness to escalate its response if its territorial integrity is threatened. Additionally, the policy clarifies that any aggression from NATO or a military bloc will be treated as aggression by the entire coalition.

The move signals a stark warning to the West as Russia presses its offensive in Ukraine, now in its third year. It also highlights the increasingly volatile nature of the war as both sides escalate their military strategies.