Putin lowers threshold for possible nuclear attacks against the West

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday issued stark new warnings of a possible nuclear response against the West if any Western nuclear-capable country supported an attack on Russia. 

The warning appears aimed at dissuading Europe and the United States from supporting Ukraine in its third year of conflict with Russia, as Ukraine seeks to use long-range missiles to attack military targets deep within the former Soviet country.

Putin said the proposed changes to the nuclear doctrine will also allow Russia to use nuclear weapons on any country that launches a "massive" air or space attack against them, or if Belarus were attacked.  

“It is proposed that aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state, be considered as their joint attack on the Russian Federation,” Putin said during a meeting of Russia’s Security Council, according to NBC News.

“We will consider such a possibility when we receive reliable information about a massive launch of air and space attack assets and them crossing our state border," he added, per the Associated Press.

The change does not mean that a nuclear response would be the default consequence of such an attack, but it reserves the right for Russia to use nuclear weapons if desired.

Russia's current doctrine allows the country to use nuclear weapons “in response to the use of nuclear and other types of weapons of mass destruction against it and/or its allies, as well as in the event of aggression against the Russian Federation with the use of conventional weapons when the very existence of the state is in jeopardy."

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.