Putin Lowers Threshold For Russia’s Use Of Its Nuclear Weapons

The approval of the document demonstrates Putin's preparedness to tap his nuclear arsenal to force Ukraine to back down.

President Vladimir Putin formally lowered the threshold for Russia’s use of its nuclear weapons.

The 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.

The approval of the document demonstrates Putin’s preparedness to tap his nuclear arsenal to force Ukraine to back down.

The move comes after President Biden gave the greenlight for Ukraine to use American-supplied long-range weapons to strike deeper into Russian territory.

Though the signed doctrine threatens a possible nuclear response by Russia, it is formulated broadly to avoid a firm commitment to use nuclear weapons and keep Putin’s options open.

Ukraine escalated its response to Russia’s invasion on the 1,000th day of war. Forces fired the U.S. supplied missiles into Russian territory for the first time.