Vladimir Putin has threatened a “nuclear response” to any “joint attack” on Russia by Ukraine supported by a Western ally.
In a dire warning issued on Tuesday, Moscow said it “reserved the right” to use nuclear weapons in the event of “aggression” against Russia or Belarus with conventional weapons if it creates a “critical threat to their sovereignty”.
The threat came as Putin signed Russia’s new nuclear doctrine into force – which the Kremlin said was necessary to make potential enemies understand the inevitability of retaliation for an attack on Russia or its allies.
Kremlin spokesman – and Putin’s spin doctor – Dmitry Peskov called the new doctrine a “very important text”, with the Russian premier signing off on it just one day after US counterpart Joe Biden approved the use of American long-range weapons by Ukraine.
The threat came as Vladimir Putin signed Russia’s new nuclear doctrine into force
REUTERS
On Monday, Russia called Biden’s sign-off “reckless and dangerous” – with Peskov taking a pot-shot at the outgoing Biden for “adding fuel to the fire and continue to provoke tension around this conflict”.
Security sources said the Americans’ green-light for Ukraine to use US-made ATACMS missiles came in response to the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia to help fight off Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk.
But Biden has not yet signed off on Britain’s own push to equip Ukraine with similarly long-range Storm Shadow missiles – despite months of lobbying by Sir Keir Starmer’s Government.
Downing Street is remaining tight-lipped on what the US is or isn’t letting the UK do – a spokesman said No10 would “not get into speculation” about Storm Shadow.
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Starmer has been lobbying the US to let Britain equip Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles for months
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But Ukraine is pushing hard to use Western weapons to strike Russia as part Volodymyr Zelensky’s much-hailed “victory plan”.
He argues that he is effectively being forced to fight with his hands tied as his troops cannot hit the sources of Putin’s air attacks against his country.
Swathes of said attacks rocked Ukraine on Saturday night – when Russian missile barrages looked to torch Ukrainian energy infrastructure to the ground.
Zelensky said Russia had launched a total of 120 missiles and 90 drones – its most devastating assault in three months.
Zelensky said Russia had launched a total of 120 missiles and 90 drones
REUTERS
Then, hours later, Biden approved the use of US long-range missiles.
George Barros, a lead analyst at the Institute for the Study of War said the US sign-off was a last-ditch move by Biden before the second Trump presidency.
He said: “I think Biden and his advisors are trying to essentially do what they can do while they still hold the reins of power in government, before they give it back to President-elect Trump in January.”