After Biden's stern warning, Russia reiterates it won't use nuclear weapons in Ukraine

Amid the raging war in Eastern Europe, Russian officials claimed that the country's nuclear doctrine is "self-explanatory," and that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine does not match any of its conditions. Responding to a query about the possibility of Russia using nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that everything is mentioned in the nuclear doctrine. "Read the doctrine, everything is written there," he told RIA Novosti news agency on Saturday, September 17. His remarks came after US President Joe Biden issued a warning that Russia would face "international consequences" if it uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

Russia's nuclear doctrine states that Moscow reserves the right to use atomic weapons only in retaliation for the use of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction against Russia or its partners. It further stated that the nuclear weapons will also be deployed in reaction to a conventional strike that threatens Russia's existence as a sovereign country. Speaking at the UN Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference in New York in August, the Russian officials stressed that none of these hypothetical scenarios applies to the situation in Ukraine, so there is no question of using nuclear weapons. 

Putin says Russia has so far shown a 'restrained response' to Ukraine

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that his country has so far shown a "restrained response" to measures taken by the Ukrainian regime, such as attempts to destroy crucial infrastructure on Russian territory or to stage "terror attacks." “We are witnessing attempts to stage terror attacks, attempts to damage our civilian infrastructure. We respond to this with restraint, but only for the time being,” Putin told reporters on September 16. His statements came as Russian forces continue to attack Ukraine for more than six months now. 

Russia will not use nuclear weapons in Ukraine: Defence Minister

However, Russia has repeatedly stressed that it has no intention of using nuclear weapons against Ukraine. Earlier in August, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu asserted that the country would not resort to nuclear weapons in Ukraine. According to the Defence Minister, the primary purpose of the country's nuclear weapons is to thwart nuclear attacks, and their uses are only authorised under "exceptional circumstances" as described in Russian guidance manuals. 

Image: AP