Putin orders changes to Russia's nuclear weapons policy
President Vladimir Putin of Russia has ordered the country's nuclear weapons guidelines to be changed, warning that his country may respond with nuclear weapons if it is attacked with conventional weapons provided by the state that owns those weapons.
President Vladimir Putin of Russia has ordered the country's nuclear weapons guidelines to be changed, warning that his country may respond with nuclear weapons if it is attacked with conventional weapons provided by the state that owns those weapons.
Addressing the meeting of the Security Council of Russia broadcast on the country's television, Putin noted that according to the amendments and changes planned to take place, an attack against the country and a country that does not have nuclear weapons for "participating in or supporting a nuclear state" will be considered as a "joint attack against the Russian Federation".
In his speech, Putin did not specify when the changes to Russia's nuclear guidelines would come into effect. However, in recent months, senior officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov and Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov have been discussing possible changes to the guidelines. In late August, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the document "is under review.
The move, which appears to significantly reduce Russia's deterrent to using atomic weapons, comes as Ukraine's Western allies consider whether to allow Kyiv to use long-range weapons to attack military bases inside Russia, and a month after Kyiv launched a surprise attack on the region. of Russia's Kursk Region.
Russia is the most powerful nuclear power in the world. Together, that country and the United States own 88 percent of all nuclear warheads in the world.
