Kremlin: Changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine ‘signal’ to West

The Kremlin stated on Thursday that the changes to Russia's nuclear weapons doctrine, as outlined by President Vladimir Putin, should serve as a signal to Western countries about the repercussions of their involvement in attacks on Russia.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said adjustments to a document called "The Foundations of State Policy in the Sphere of Nuclear Deterrence" had been formulated, News.Az reports, citing Reuters .

Asked by reporters if the changes were a signal to the West, Peskov said: "This should be considered a definite signal."

Putin said on Wednesday that Russia could use nuclear weapons if it was struck with conventional missiles, and that Moscow would consider any assault on it supported by a nuclear power to be a joint attack.

The decision to change Russia's official nuclear doctrine is the Kremlin's answer to deliberations in the United States and Britain about whether or not to give Ukraine permission to fire conventional Western missiles into Russia.

"This is a signal that warns these countries about the consequences if they participate in an attack on our country by various means, and not necessarily nuclear ones," Peskov said.

The world, Peskov said, was witness to an "unprecedented confrontation" which he said was provoked by the "direct involvement of Western countries, including nuclear powers" in the Ukraine war.

Peskov said a decision on whether or not to publish the nuclear documents would be made at a later date.

Russia's current published nuclear doctrine , set out in a 2020 decree by Putin, says Russia may use nuclear weapons in case of a nuclear attack by an enemy or a conventional attack that threatens the existence of the state.

News.Az