Russia's latest warning to the West about nuclear weapons is detailed in new rules revealed by Putin.

• Russia's nuclear doctrine is being clarified with respect to the conditions for the use of nuclear weapons, as stated by Putin.
• He stated that the draft amendments to the doctrine broaden the scope of states and military alliances with which nuclear deterrence is applied.
• Putin declared that any non-nuclear state backed by a nuclear-armed nation that attacks Russia will be viewed as a "joint attack."

Moscow's nuclear weapons use rule book is being revised by Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a thinly-veiled warning to Western nations supporting Kyiv in the Ukraine war.

Putin stated in a meeting with senior officials on Russia's nuclear deterrence on Wednesday that clarifications regarding the conditions for the use of nuclear weapons are being made to the document defining Russia's nuclear doctrine.

The doctrine's draft amendments were added, expanding the category of states and military alliances in relation to which nuclear deterrence is carried out and including a supplemented list of military threats that Russia would see as a justification to deploy nuclear weapons.

Putin declared that any non-nuclear state that receives support from a nuclear-armed one and attacks Russia will be viewed as a joint attack.

Putin stated that in the updated document, any non-nuclear state's aggression against Russia, with the participation or support of a nuclear state, would be considered as a joint attack on the Russian Federation.

Recent comments on Russia's nuclear doctrine have been interpreted as a warning to the West, as some allies, including the U.S. and U.K., contemplate allowing Ukraine to use long-range weapons they've received against Russian military targets.

President Zelenskyy of Ukraine is currently in the U.S., where he has urged officials to maintain support for Kyiv as the presidential election approaches in November. He will meet with President Biden in Washington on Thursday and is expected to press him on Kyiv's request to use long-range missiles, a strategy that Ukraine believes could alter the course of the war that began in February 2022.

Despite public comments suggesting that the U.S. and U.K. had authorized Kyiv to use such weapons, Zelenskyy stated before the visit that official authorization had not yet been granted.

Although we lack the necessary amount of long-range weapons, we possess Storm Shadow, ATACMS, and SCALP missiles. However, neither America nor Great Britain granted us permission to utilize these weapons on Russian territory for any purpose or distance. Consequently, we did not employ long-range weapons on Russian soil.

Putin stated that Moscow would respond with a nuclear attack if it receives credible information about a mass takeoff of strategic or tactical planes, or the launch of cruise missiles, hypersonic weapons, or drones towards its territory, which he believes could be a sign of Ukraine's plans to launch long-range missiles at Russia.

Saber-rattling

Moscow has long indicated that it was modifying its stance on the use of nuclear weapons, so Russia's recent comments on changing its nuclear doctrine are not unexpected.

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's Spokesman, stated that amendments to Russia's nuclear doctrine should be viewed as a warning to "unfriendly states" on Thursday.

Peskov stated that the changes should be interpreted as a warning to other countries not to participate in attacks on Russia with any means, including nuclear ones.

The frequency of comments by the Kremlin and senior Russian officials on the matter has increased as Ukraine has openly urged its allies to use Western long-range missiles to target Russian targets.

The ongoing incursion by Ukraine into Russia's Kursk border region has led to more saber-rattling from President Putin and prominent Russian hawks, who accused the West of supporting the cross-border raid. However, Ukraine's allies deny any prior knowledge of the operation, which began in August.

In September, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that Moscow was modifying its nuclear doctrine due to the perceived Western-backed "escalation" of the conflict with Ukraine during the Kursk operation.

Russia's current nuclear doctrine allows the country to use nuclear weapons in response to the use of nuclear weapons and other types of weapons of mass destruction against it and/or its allies, as well as in the event of aggression against the Russian Federation using conventional weapons, when the very existence of the state is threatened, according to a Google translation.

The use of nuclear weapons by Russia may be determined by the receipt of reliable information about the launch of ballistic missiles attacking Russian territory or its allies, or the enemy's impact on critically important state or military facilities, as stated in the document.

Despite describing nuclear weapons as a means of deterrence in its 2020 policy, Russia stated that their use would be an extreme and necessary measure.

Russia's nuclear doctrine is defensive in nature, and it takes all necessary efforts to reduce the nuclear threat and prevent the aggravation of interstate relations that could provoke military conflicts, including nuclear ones.

Putin has consistently emphasized that Moscow would not hesitate to use such weapons if its territorial integrity and sovereignty were threatened since Russia invaded Ukraine.

In May, Russia conducted tactical nuclear weapons exercises near the Ukraine border and also positioned such weapons in Belarus, its ally.

Nuclear weapons designed for battlefield use can eliminate specific targets, such as military bases or training centers.

The use of such weapons would represent a significant increase in the conflict and raise fears of a direct confrontation with the West.

Putin stated on Wednesday that Moscow retains the option to employ nuclear weapons if an attack on Belarus threatens its sovereignty, as Belarus is part of the "Union State" with Russia, a unique alliance between neighbors and allies. This applies even if the enemy uses conventional weapons to create a severe danger to our sovereignty, Putin added.