Putin Approves Controversial Nuclear Doctrine Amid Ongoing Ukraine Conflict
In a significant escalation of military policy, Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a new nuclear doctrine that paves the way for potential nuclear responses to conventional attacks jeopardizing the sovereignty of Russia and Belarus. This doctrine, which was published on the legal information portal of the Russian state, asserts that Russia may deploy nuclear weapons if a conventional attack poses a critical threat to the territorial integrity of both nations, which are united under the Russia-Belarus State Union.
Notably, the doctrine interprets attacks from countries lacking nuclear capabilities, if backed by a nuclear power, as joint aggression. This strategic expansion signals a shift in Russia's approach to military alliances, identifying aggression from any state in a military coalition against Russia or its allies as a collective threat.
Analysts view this stipulation as a pointed warning to the United States and NATO regarding potential direct intervention in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Furthermore, the doctrine asserts that Russia may respond with nuclear force in the event of widespread attacks utilizing aviation, cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles, drones, and other unmanned systems that encroach upon Russian airspace.
For the first time, the doctrine explicitly addresses drones – an increasingly popular instrument of warfare in recent conflicts – indicating their significance in modern military strategies. Despite this aggressive posture, the doctrine emphasizes that Russia considers nuclear weapons primarily as a defensive deterrent, asserting their use would be an extraordinary and forced measure.
These updates to the nuclear doctrine were announced shortly before the 1000-day milestone of the Ukraine conflict and come on the heels of reports indicating that the United States has authorized Ukraine to deploy long-range missiles against Russian targets.
Earlier this year, Putin also green-lit the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, a move that he previously warned could signify that the US and NATO are engaged in a direct war with Russia. As the war continues, this new nuclear policy could dramatically alter the strategic calculations of military actors involved in the region.
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