“Clear Intent”
Ryabkov stated, “The work is at an advanced stage, and there is a clear intent to make corrections.”
Source: U.S. Department of State/Flickr
The current nuclear doctrine was established by President Vladimir Putin in 2020. According to the Kyiv Post, Russia may “use nuclear weapons in the event of a nuclear attack by an enemy or a conventional attack that threatens the existence of the state.”
“Living Instrument”
The choice is “connected with the escalation course of our Western adversaries” in the Ukraine struggle, Ryabkov said.
Source: Kremlin.ru
Putin said in June that the doctrine was a “living instrument,” which means that it could change based on what happens in the world. The West’s involvement in Ukraine is the subject of calls to lower the threshold in Russia.
Conditional Supplies
The United States and its allies deny being involved in the war, claiming that they were unaware of Ukraine’s plans to invade Kursk.
Source: POTUS/X
Biden has sent Ukraine 5-16 contender flies and was thinking about sending long-range missiles. Assuming those rockets are sent, Ukraine can’t utilize them on Russian soil as part of the deal.
“Asking for Trouble”
The restrictions prevent Ukraine from using U.S.-supplied missiles inside Russia unless it is in self-defense or over the border.
Source: Kremlin.ru
Recently, Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, stated that the West is “asking for trouble” if it loosens its restrictions on weapons following the consideration of missile being sent to Ukraine.
“Playing with Fire”
“We are now confirming once again that playing with fire – and they are like small children playing with matches – is a very dangerous thing for grown-up uncles and aunts who are entrusted with nuclear weapons in one or another Western country,” the statement from Lavrov reads.
Source: Kremlin.ru
After word spread that Russian President Vladimir Putin is thinking about changing Russia’s policy regarding nuclear weapons and possibly lowering the threshold for their use, fears of a third world war have emerged.
Military Analysts
Russia’s military analysts have been pressing Putin to lower this threshold as a means to “sober up” Russia’s Western enemies.
Source: The White House/Flickr
Moscow has accused the West of utilizing the Ukraine conflict as a proxy war against it with the goal of inflicting a “strategic defeat” on Russia in order to break it apart.
Putin’s Stance
On day one of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 he threatened that anyone who attempted to stand in his way would suffer “consequences that you have never faced in your history.”
Source: Duma.gov.ru
The United States and its allies have denied allegations of a proxy war and have stated that they are aiding Ukraine in its defense because of the colonial-style war of aggression by Russia.
Nuclear Threats
Since the invasion, Putin has made numerous statements that the West has interpreted as nuclear threats after Russian tactical nuclear weapons were deployed in Belarus.
Source: Kremlin.ru
The timeline for updates to the nuclear doctrine was unclear according to Ryabkov, “The time for completing this work is a rather difficult question, given that we are talking about the most important aspects of ensuring our national security.”
Use of Nuclear Weaponry
When it comes to nuclear weapons, Russia possesses more than any other country. Back in March Putin claimed that Moscow was prepared for the possibility of a nuclear war “from a military-technical point of view.”
Source: Kremlin.ru
However, he did couch that statement by saying that he did not see any rush towards nuclear conflict and Russia did not see a need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Threat to America
While Putin had formerly said that Russia did not desire a conflict with the US-led NATO alliance, Lavrov’s remarks have cast doubt on this sentiment.
Source: The White House/Flickr
Lavrov stated regarding global conflict, “Americans unequivocally associate conversations about Third World War as something that, God forbid, if it happens, will affect Europe exclusively.”
“End of Russia’s Statehood”
Putin defended his threats of nuclear war by stating that Russian defeat would signify “the end of Russia’s statehood.”
Source: Kremlin.ru
He went on to state, “It means the end of the 1,000-year history of the Russian state. I think this is clear to everyone… Isn’t it better to go all the way, until the end?”
The possibility of a nuclear conflict with major global players may cause Biden to enforce the restrictions on the use of military supplies to prevent further escalation.