A proposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin to update the national nuclear doctrine should serve as a warning to Western states of what could happen if they support aggression against Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
On Wednesday, Putin suggested that the new nuclear strategy should treat “aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state,” as a “joint attack” that would cross the nuclear threshold.
The implication is that the new rules would apply to a possible Ukrainian attack deep inside Russia with advanced weapons supplied by the US, Britain or France.
According to the Russian leader, Moscow would also “consider” resorting to a nuclear option if it gets “reliable information” about a “massive” missile strike launched by another state against Russia or its closest ally, Belarus.
Commenting on Putin’s order on Thursday, Peskov said he was sure that all reasonable leaders and analysts understood the gravity of the announcement. “Especially when it comes to such an unprecedented standoff triggered by the direct involvement of Western nations, including nuclear powers, in the conflict over Ukraine,” he added.
This is a signal warning these nations of the consequences of their participation in an attack on our country by various means, including non-nuclear ones.
Putin has previously warned Western countries that granting permission for Ukraine to use high-precision, foreign-made weapons to strike targets deep inside Russia would mean their direct involvement in hostilities, since the Ukrainian military cannot operate such weapons without Western military personnel. However, Moscow has repeatedly stated that it adheres to the principle that a nuclear war should never be fought.
In March, however, Putin said Russia was “technically ready” for a nuclear war, and is prepared to use nuclear assets if the country’s very existence were at stake.