Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed off on a major update to the country’s nuclear doctrine, stating that Russia could consider using nuclear weapons if it faces a conventional missile attack supported by a nuclear-armed state.

The move comes as tensions between Russia and the West continue to escalate over the war in Ukraine.

The updated doctrine, signed just weeks after the U.S. presidential elections, is seen as a response to the Biden administration’s decision to allow Ukraine to deploy American long-range missiles capable of striking Russian territory.

While the changes have been in development for months, Putin’s approval this week highlights the Kremlin’s increasing concerns over Western involvement in the ongoing conflict.

According to the revised policy, Russia could justify a nuclear strike in response to conventional missile attacks, drone strikes, or aggression involving aircraft, particularly if such an assault is backed by a nuclear power.

Furthermore, the doctrine specifies that aggression against Russia by a member of a coalition would be treated as an attack by the entire coalition.

The war in Ukraine, now in its 1,000th day, has created the gravest standoff between Russia and the West since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, the closest the world has come to nuclear war during the Cold War era.

The latest development underscores the heightened risk of escalation, as Russia continues to frame Western military aid to Ukraine as a direct threat to its security.

This comes just after outgoing POTUS Joe Biden has authorised the Ukrainian military to use long-range US missiles to strike Russia.

This decision will see the use of ATACMS, the Army Tactical Missile Systems, and came in response to Russia’s recent surprise decision to bring North Korean troops into the fight.

Image credit: AP

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