ALBAWABA- Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree on Tuesday authorizing the use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states if they receive support from nuclear-armed nations.
This marks a significant escalation in Moscow's nuclear posture amid intensifying tensions with the United States and NATO.
The decree followed U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles capable of targeting sites deep within Russia, a move the Kremlin has condemned as a direct provocation.
The decree builds on Russia's nuclear doctrine, officially titled the Basic Principles of State Policy on Nuclear Deterrence, first signed by Putin in 2020.
The doctrine traditionally limited nuclear weapon use to scenarios involving nuclear attacks against Russia or its allies, or existential threats posed by conventional weapons.
However, the Kremlin announced last September that amendments to the doctrine were being prepared, potentially broadening its scope.
The updated policy allows for nuclear weapons to be used if ballistic missiles are detected targeting Russia or its allies, if weapons of mass destruction are employed against them, if conventional military attacks threaten the survival of the Russian state, or if a critical government or military facilities are attacked in a way that undermines the country’s ability to launch a nuclear response.
This latest move by Russia has raised international concerns, signaling an expanded willingness to use nuclear weapons preemptively in the context of the ongoing Ukraine conflict and rising geopolitical tensions with the West.
