Following recent outrage over Russia’s updated nuclear doctrine, the Kremlin is now tempering fears regarding Moscow’s potential use of nuclear weapons.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine should not always be linked to a possible Russian nuclear response.
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced an updated policy on the use of nuclear weapons, citing tensions with Western powers over their support for Ukraine.
The new guidelines allow for a nuclear response to airstrikes on Russian territory or attacks by a non-nuclear state backed by nuclear powers.
Russia reportedly fended off 125 Ukrainian drones on Sunday. In remarks to the press in Moscow on Monday, Peskov addressed the question of whether this did not constitute a massive air attack to which Russia, according to the new doctrine, could respond with nuclear weapons.
“There is no need to over-interpret this document. It is an
extremely important one, yes, and important decisions will
be formalized accordingly,” Peskov said.
Western security experts have offered differing assessments of the threat while Ukraine has termed the revised Russian policy as “nuclear blackmail.”
Fabian Hoffmann, a German military expert, wrote on X, that so far, there are no credible signs of preparations for the use of nuclear weapons.
“There is a high likelihood that Putin will never resort to nuclear use, as the risks are too great,” Hoffmann wrote.
“There is equally a strong chance that Russia’s nuclear threats will remain non-credible, confined to the rhetorical level and not turn into action,” wrote the Oslo-based military researcher.
