Putin often cites Russia’s 'nuclear doctrine' governing the use of atomic weapons. But what is it?
In a blunt signal to discourage the West from increasing military support for Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin says Russia could revise its nuclear doctrine regarding the use of its atomic arsenal
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, President Vladimir Putin and other Kremlin voices have frequently threatened the West with its nuclear arsenal.
On Day 1 of the war, Putin said “whoever tries to impede us, let alone create threats for our country and its people, must know that the Russian response will be immediate and lead to consequences you have never seen in history.”
Over nearly 2 1/2 years of fighting, the West has given Ukraine billions of dollars of advanced weapons, some of which have struck Russian soil. And while there have been more Kremlin threats — and even the deployment of battlefield nuclear weapons in Belarus, just over the border from Ukraine — so far it has remained only a blunt message.
What could finally trigger a nuclear response?
