Putin Threatens to Nuke Countries Attacking Russia with Mass Conventional Weapons

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a direct nuclear threat to Western nations on Wednesday, warning that any conventional military attack on Russia, supported by a nuclear power, could provoke a nuclear response.

This announcement was made during a meeting with the Russian Security Council, where Putin elaborated on updates to Russia’s nuclear doctrine.

Putin stated that Russia would use nuclear weapons if it receives reliable information about a large-scale missile or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attack aimed at its territory. The updated doctrine emphasizes that such a response could be triggered not only by attacks from nuclear states but also from non-nuclear countries acting with the support of nuclear powers. This change expands the conditions under which Russia would deploy its nuclear arsenal.

Additionally, the new doctrine includes Belarus, a key Russian ally, under the nuclear protection umbrella, asserting that an attack on Belarus would be treated as an attack on Russia itself.

The previous 2020 nuclear doctrine stated that Russia could use nuclear weapons if attacked with nuclear weapons or if a conventional attack threatened the state’s existence. Russia is the world’s largest nuclear power, and together with the United States, they control 88% of the global nuclear warhead inventory.  Russia's most dangerous nuclear weapon is widely considered to be the RS-28 Sarmat, known by its NATO reporting name SS-X-30 Satan II. Other notable Russian nuclear weapons include the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle, the Poseidon underwater drone, the Kinzhal hypersonic missile, and the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile.

The revisions to Russia’s nuclear strategy come after a year-long review conducted by the Ministry of Defense and other government agencies, reflecting the “emergence of new military threats,” according to Putin. He cited increased military activities and weapon transfers from Western nations to Ukraine as primary factors in the heightened risk environment.

Andrey Kartapolov, head of the Defense Committee in Russia’s lower house of parliament, stated that the changes to the nuclear doctrine are designed to make it more adaptable and effective in the face of current global military challenges. Russian state media figures echoed this sentiment, predicting that the threshold for using nuclear weapons had been lowered, making their deployment more likely in future conflicts.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has called on Western allies to provide long-range missiles capable of striking deep within Russian territory. While these weapons have not yet been supplied for such purposes, Ukraine’s allies are under increasing pressure to reassess their arms support. Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, have urged the West to disregard Russian threats and cross what Moscow has termed its “red lines.” In contrast, Putin has repeatedly warned that such actions could result in a global conflict.

Russia's Dilemma: Running Low on Conventional Weapons or Concerned About Ukraine's NATO Aspirations?

Putin’s latest threat has become the most dangerous confrontation between Russia and the West since the Cuban Missile Crisis. This could mean two things: one, Russia is running out of conventional weapons to counter those launched by other countries; and two, Russia believes Ukraine has a real chance of joining NATO.

The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak recently confirmed that Ukraine’s NATO accession is central to President Zelensky’s Victory Plan. Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations, Yermak urged Ukraine’s partners to ignore Russian threats of escalation and to increase investment in Ukrainian arms production, which has risen sixfold since the invasion. He also emphasized the need for Ukraine to strike Russian targets and utilize frozen Russian assets.