Putin signs revised nuclear doctrine lowering response threshold for conventional attacks

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a revised nuclear doctrine that lowers the threshold for a potential nuclear strike. The new policy allows for a nuclear response if Russia or Belarus faces conventional aggression that threatens their sovereignty. The updated doctrine states that an attack by a non-nuclear power, supported by a nuclear power, will be viewed as a joint attack on Russia. This contrasts with the previous 2020 doctrine, which limited nuclear responses to nuclear attacks or existential threats. The revision follows U.S. President Joe Biden's decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles against targets in Russia. The Kremlin emphasized that the updated doctrine aims to clarify the consequences of aggression against Russia.