Russia To Change Nuclear Doctrine in Response to Western Escalations

The current nuclear doctrine allows the use of nukes in response to a nuclear attack or conventional attack that threatens the existence of the state

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Sunday that Moscow will change its nuclear doctrine in response to Western escalations related to the war in Ukraine.

“As we have repeatedly said before, the work is in the advanced stage, and there is a clear intent to introduce a correction [to the nuclear doctrine],” Ryabkov told the Russian news agency TASS.

Ryabkov said the doctrine would be updated based on “the examination and analysis of development of recent conflicts, including, of course, everything connected to our Western adversaries’ escalation course in regards to the special military operation.”

Ryabkov said it was too early to say when the doctrine would be updated. “The timeframe for its completion is a rather complicated issue, considering that we are talking about the most important aspect of our national security,” he said.

Russia’s nuclear doctrine was last updated in 2020. It allows for the use of nuclear weapons if Russia faces a nuclear attack or a conventional attack that threatens the existence of the Russian state.

Ryabkov’s comments come amid fighting in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, an offensive Ukraine is carrying out with US and NATO support. The US is allowing Ukraine to use US-provided armored vehicles, bombs, and missiles inside the Russian territory, marking a significant escalation in the proxy war.

The US claims that it was not involved in the planning of the Kursk invasion, but a Ukrainian soldier said last week that Western intelligence was crucial for carrying out the cross-border assault.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.