1,000 Days In: Putin Lowers Nuclear Use Threshold After Biden's Arms Decision For Ukraine

New Delhi: President Vlimir Putin on Tuesday formally lowered threshold for Russia’s use of its nuclear weapons, a move that follows U.S. President Joe Biden ’s decision to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russian territory with American-supplied longer-range missiles.

new doctrine allows for a potential nuclear response by Moscow even to a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Ukraine fired six U.S.-me ATACMS missiles early Tuesday at a military facility in Russia's Bryansk region that borders Ukraine, ding that air defenses shot down five of m and damaged one more.

While doctrine envisions a possible nuclear response by Russia to such a conventional strike, it is formulated broly to avoid a firm commitment to use nuclear weapons and keep Putin's options open.

approval of document demonstrates Putin’s reiness to tap his nuclear arsenal to force West to back down as Moscow presses a slow-moving offensive in Ukraine as war reached its 1,000th day.

Asked Tuesday if a Ukrainian attack with longer-range U.S. missiles could potentially trigger a nuclear response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov answered affirmatively, pointing to doctrine’s provision that holds door open for it after a conventional strike that raises critical threats for "sovereignty and territorial integrity: of Russia and its ally, Belarus.

Commenting on wher updated doctrine was deliberately issued to follow Biden’s decision, Peskov said document was published “in a timely manner” and that Putin instructed government to update it earlier this year so that it is “in line with current situation.”

Putin first announced changes in nuclear doctrine in September, when he chaired a meeting discussing proposed revisions. He has previously warned U.S. and or NATO allies that allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied longer-range weapons to hit Russian territory would mean that Russia and NATO are at war.

Washington has permitted Ukraine to use longer-range weapons on targets inside Russia after declaring that thousands of North Korean troops were deployed in Russian region of Kursk to fight an incursion by Kyiv's forces.

White House officials were not surprised by Putin’s decision, and U.S. has seen no change to Russia’s nuclear posture, according to a U.S. National Security Council official who was not authorized to comment publicly and requested anonymity.

As a result, Biden ministration has “not seen any reason to just our own nuclear posture or doctrine in response to Russia’s statements today,” official ded. Still, official says White House views it as “irresponsible rhetoric.”

But official underscored that arrival of thousands of North Korea soldiers to take part in combat operations against Ukraine was a major escalation by Moscow that demanded a response.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced revised nuclear doctrine as “latest example of irresponsibility” from “ depraved Russian government,” according to spokesperson Camilla Marshall.

“Russia’s one that continues to escalate this war, and use of North Korean troops is just one example of that,” Marshall said. “He could remove his troops, roll back his tanks and end onslaught and needless bloodshed in both Ukraine and Russia. … We would urge him to do so.”

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in Warsaw that her country would not be intimidated by Russia’s new policy, saying her country me mistake of cowering in face of Moscow's aggression in past but would not do so again.

updated doctrine says an attack against Russia by a nonnuclear power with “participation or support of a nuclear power” will be seen as ir “joint attack on Russian Federation.”

It says any massive aerial attack on Russia could trigger a nuclear response but avoids any firm commitment and mentions “uncertainty of scale, time and place of possible use of nuclear deterrent” among key principles of nuclear deterrence.

document also notes that aggression against Russia by a member of a military bloc or coalition is viewed as "an aggression by entire bloc," a clear reference to NATO.

At same time, it spells out conditions for using nuclear weapons in greater detail compared with previous versions of doctrine, noting y could be used in case of a massive air attack involving ballistic and cruise missiles, aircraft, drones and or flying vehicles.

formulation appears to significantly broen triggers for possible nuclear weapons use compared with document's previous version, which stated Russia could tap its atomic arsenal if case of an attack with ballistic missiles.

President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron hand for more than 30 years and has relied on Russian subsidies and support, has allowed Russia to use his country’s territory to send troops into Ukraine and to deploy some of its tactical nuclear weapons.

Since Putin sent troops into Ukraine, he and or Russian voices have frequently threatened West with Russia’s nuclear arsenal to discourage it from ramping up support for Kyiv.

Russian hawks called for toughening doctrine for months, arguing previous version failed to deter West from increasing its aid to Ukraine and created impression that Moscow would not resort to nuclear weapons.