NEW DELHI, November 19. /TASS/. Aggression from any non-nuclear state, but with the involvement or backing of a nuclear state, will be considered a joint attack on Russia, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, commenting on Russia’s updated nuclear doctrine.
"There is another very important thing. Should a country attack our country, attack us by conventional weapons but with help and assistance by a nuclear state, we will treat it as a joint attack against our country with relevant consequences," he told India’s ANI news agency.
"Those are very important messages," the Kremlin official emphasized.
Peskov also noted that Russia has consistently maintained a responsible position and taken necessary steps to mitigate the nuclear threat and prevent the worsening of international relations. "Nuclear deterrence is aimed at ensuring the understanding by a potential enemy of Russia of inevitability of a nuclear answer" in the event of aggression against Russia, he noted.
Earlier on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin decreed to update the country’s nuclear doctrine. According to the document, nuclear deterrence is aimed at "a potential adversary, which may encompass individual countries and military alliances (blocs, unions) that regard Russia as a potential enemy and possess nuclear and/or other weapons of mass destruction, or have substantial combat capabilities of general-purpose forces." Russia will also engage in nuclear deterrence against those countries that offer their territory, maritime zones, airspace, and resources for aggression against it.
The president is the ultimate authority on the use of nuclear weapons. Aggression from any non-nuclear state, but with the involvement or backing of a nuclear state, will be considered a joint attack on Russia. Additionally, a nuclear response is deemed possible if there is a critical threat to Russia’s sovereignty, even from conventional weapons, including an attack on Belarus as part of the Union State, or a massive launch of warplanes, cruise missiles, drones, or other aircraft crossing the Russian border.