Putin approved the foundations of Russia's nuclear deterrence policy

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved the foundations of the state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence. The corresponding decree is posted on November 19 on the official portal of legal information.

"I decree to approve the attached basics of the state policy of the Russian Federation in the field of nuclear deterrence", - stated in the document.

The decree includes amendments announced by the President in September. In particular, for the first time the definition of a potential adversary against whom Russia conducts nuclear deterrence is introduced, as well as the conceptual basis for a nuclear strike is clarified: the right to use it is reserved by the Russian Federation in response to the use of weapons of mass destruction against it or its allies.

Aggression against Russia or Belarus as members of the Union State with the use of conventional weapons in the event of a critical threat to their sovereignty and territorial integrity is cited as another ground.

The decree enters into force from the day of its signing. Accordingly, a similar doctrine of 2020 was recognized as null and void.

Earlier, on September 25, Putin said it was necessary to adapt the foundations of state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence to modern realities. Then he said that the Defense Ministry, Foreign Ministry and Security Council, after an analysis, proposed a number of changes concerning a clearer fixation of the conditions for Russia's transition to the use of nuclear weapons.

The next day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov pointed out that the update of Russia's nuclear doctrine should be considered a certain signal to unfriendly countries.