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Photo caption, Russian President Vladimir Putin has already threatened the possibility of using nuclear weapons in the past, but this scenario is expected to become more concrete with the proposal to revise the nuclear doctrine document.Article related information
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on the 25th (local time) that he is considering revising the nuclear doctrine document, which contains the principles of nuclear use.
It included the content that if a non-nuclear-weapon state carries out a “joint attack” on Russia with the support of a nuclear-weapon state, the supporting state will also be considered an aggressor. This part is interpreted as a threat that nuclear weapons may be used in the war in Ukraine.
President Putin announced on the night of the 25th after the National Security Council that the Russian government is considering revising the rules and preconditions for using nuclear weapons.
Ukraine is a non-nuclear state that receives military support from other nuclear weapons states, including the United States.
President Putin’s remarks came as Ukraine asked the West for permission to use long-range missiles it supported to target Russian military facilities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy headed to the United States this week and is scheduled to meet President Joe Biden in Washington on the 26th (local time), so this request is expected to be top of the agenda.
Ukraine has pushed into mainland Russia this year and wants to fire missiles at military bases in Russia that it claims are where the missiles are launched.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President’s Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak responded to President Putin’s remarks by saying, “There is nothing in Russia that can threaten the world other than the nuclear threat.”
In fact, President Putin has previously threatened to use nuclear weapons. At the time, Ukraine criticized it as a “nuclear blackmail” aimed at preventing further support from Western allies.
China, Russia’s ally, also urged restraint, with reports that President Xi Jinping warned President Putin against using nuclear weapons.
However, after the National Security Council meeting on the 25th, President Putin announced a radical revision plan.
The revised nuclear doctrine “clearly contains the conditions under which Russia could transition to the use of nuclear weapons,” and was followed by a warning that a conventional missile attack against Russia would also be included as a condition for the use of nuclear weapons.
Putin said Russia would consider the “possibility” of using nuclear weapons if it senses a “grave threat” to national sovereignty due to large-scale launches of missiles, aircraft and drones into its territory.
He added, “Even if the subject of the attack on Russia was a non-nuclear state, any country participating or receiving support from a nuclear state would regard it as a joint attack by them.”
President Putin claims that nuclear weapons are “the most important and certain promise that guarantees the safety of the Russian state and people.”
After the end of World War II, nuclear-armed states engaged in a policy of nuclear deterrence, believing that a preemptive large-scale nuclear attack by a warring state could lead to mutually assured destruction.
However, there are also tactical nuclear weapons, which are small warheads designed to destroy limited targets without extensive radioactive fallout (radioactive material that spreads and remains in the surrounding area during a nuclear explosion).
Last June, President Putin told European countries supporting Ukraine, “Even if the United States brings its own tactical nuclear weapons, Russia has far more (tactical nuclear weapons) than the entire European continent has.” sent a warning to
At the time, President Putin said, “Europe does not have an up-to-date (early warning system),” and criticized, “In this sense, they are almost defenseless.”
At that time, President Putin already hinted that he might revise the nuclear doctrine document, which contains the conditions under which Russia can use nuclear weapons.
