Putin approves new nuclear doctrine allowing response to Western missile threats

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a new nuclear doctrine that expands the conditions under which Russia may use nuclear weapons. The updated policy allows for a nuclear response if Russia detects a mass launch of missiles or is attacked with conventional weapons. The doctrine now includes attacks on Belarus, a Russian ally, as a potential trigger for nuclear action. Additionally, aggression by a non-nuclear state, if backed by a nuclear power, will be treated as a joint attack warranting a nuclear response. The Kremlin stated these changes are necessary due to perceived Western threats. It emphasized that the use of Western missiles by Ukraine could provoke a nuclear response under the new guidelines.