Putin Threatens Nuclear Response to Ukraine Strikes

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning to the West, cautioning that Russia could resort to nuclear weapons if it were attacked with conventional missiles.

He further stated that any assault on Russia, if supported by a nuclear power, would be viewed as a joint attack.

This shift in Russia’s nuclear doctrine responds to discussions in the U.S. and the U.K. about whether to permit Ukraine to strike Russian territory with Western-supplied missiles.

Putin, while addressing Russia’s Security Council, stressed that the world was changing rapidly, bringing new threats that required updated strategies.

“It is proposed that aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state, be considered as their joint attack on the Russian Federation,” Putin said.

He explained that Moscow could justify using nuclear weapons if it detected the beginning of a large-scale missile, aircraft, or drone attack on Russia.

The Kremlin’s nuclear umbrella now covers Belarus, and aggression against either nation—whether by conventional or nuclear means—could lead to a nuclear response.

Putin noted that these amendments were in line with modern military threats, confirming Russia’s nuclear strategy had evolved.

Under Russia’s current nuclear doctrine, established in 2020, nuclear weapons could be deployed in response to either a nuclear strike or a conventional attack that threatens the nation’s existence.

The new changes broaden the scope, allowing for nuclear retaliation if a nuclear power backs a conventional strike.

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The U.S. has previously expressed concern over Russia’s possible use of tactical nuclear weapons, with CIA Director Bill Burns recalling warnings issued to Putin in 2022.

The ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its third year, has escalated tensions between Russia and the West to levels not seen since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently urged Western allies to provide Ukraine with long-range missiles, including U.S. ATACMS and British Storm Shadows, to strike deeper into Russian territory.

With Russian forces gaining ground in Ukraine’s east, Kyiv’s allies face increasing pressure to push past Russia’s so-called “red lines,” even as Moscow warns that doing so risks a broader global conflict.

“Russia no longer has any instruments to intimidate the world apart from nuclear blackmail,” remarked Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, in response to Putin’s speech. “These instruments will not work.”

The possibility of a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO has alarmed global leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden and Republican candidate Donald Trump, both of whom have warned of the risk of nuclear war.

Together, Russia and the United States control 88% of the world’s nuclear arsenal, making any escalation potentially catastrophic.

During his speech, Putin emphasized the importance of the “nuclear triad” as the key to maintaining Russia’s security and global strategic parity.

He added that Russia’s nuclear forces were prepared to act on reliable intelligence of a massive aerospace assault, involving aircraft, missiles, or drones crossing its borders.

“The nuclear triad remains the most important guarantee of ensuring the security of our state and citizens, an instrument for maintaining strategic parity and balance of power in the world,” Putin said.

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