Russia changes nuclear doctrine: What happens now?

Igor Korotchenko, the General Director of the Caspian Institute for Strategic Studies, said the most important change is the stance on responding to attacks with conventional weapons using either a tactical or strategic nuclear strike.

«This is a fundamental change, and it primarily concerns the countries of the Western coalition, including both NATO members and non-members», he told Anadolu.

He said several non-NATO countries fall under the scope of this revised doctrine, including South Korea, Australia, Japan and New Zealand, which Russia views as non-nuclear states relying on the support of nuclear-armed allies.

Korotchenko emphasized that Putin’s remarks were primarily of a «military-political nature», noting that the precise operational details will be formulated by the Russian General Staff.

He characterized the changes as «very serious», emphasizing that for the first time, the doctrine includes provisions for a nuclear response to a conventional strike.

«The US has developed a concept of a «rapid global strike», which entails a non-nuclear large-scale assault on Russia using cruise missiles, primarily sea- and air-launched Tomahawks», he said.

«Similar cruise missiles – Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG è TAURUS – are also in service in countries like France, Britain and Germany. Additionally, several other NATO countries have access to British, American or French long-range cruise missiles. This means a potentially unlimited number of countries could target Russia».

If the new nuclear doctrine is adopted, said Korotchenko, «the status of tactical nuclear weapons will be elevated».

«Currently, tactical nuclear warheads are stored in the Defense Ministry’s special warehouses, but with the approval of this new policy, part of the tactical arsenal could be deployed on delivery systems», he explained.

«This indicates a lowering of the threshold for employing nuclear weapons in response to perceived threats or strikes against Russia».

He said that tactical nuclear weapons are designed for use on the battlefield, «but if tactical nuclear weapons are used, which theoretically should not lead to an exchange of global nuclear strikes, it is still a prelude to World War III, which is very dangerous».

«Russia finds itself in a situation where the West’s actions, heightening tensions and disregarding Russia’s established red lines, have effectively compelled the Kremlin to revise its military doctrine», Korotchenko asserted.

The revised doctrine does not exclude the possibility of Moscow using nuclear weapons if Ukraine strikes targets deep in Russia with long-range missiles provided by the West, according to Korotchenko.

«Theoretically speaking, if we follow the provisions of the new edition of the military doctrine, this is not excluded. Roughly speaking, the doctrine allows it. Whether this will be done in practice will be decided by President Putin as the supreme commander-in-chief in each particular case», he explained.