Russian President Vladimir Putin has decreed to update the country’s nuclear doctrine, the Basic Principles of the State Policy of the Russian Federation on Nuclear Deterrence. TASS has prepared a report on Russia's policy in this area.
Legal framework
Russia's military doctrine, the system of principles of the armed defense of the state, stipulates the conditions for using nuclear weapons. The document lists all external and internal threats, as well as methods of countering them.
On November 2, 1993, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed a decree on "The Basic Principles of Russia's Nuclear Doctrine," but the document itself has never been published.
The first Russian nuclear doctrine was ratified and published by decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 21, 2000. The second was ratified on February 5, 2010, and the third, currently in force, on December 26, 2014.
All versions of the military doctrine emphasize that Russia can use nuclear weapons in retaliation for the use of weapons of mass destruction against Russia and its allies. In addition, nuclear weapons can be used if "aggression with ordinary weapons" against Russia poses a threat "to the very existence of the state." This threat may arise, in particular, in the event of direct military involvement of NATO countries in the conflict. Since 2010, Russia has included the military and political strengthening of NATO in the main military threats section of its military doctrine.
The Russian president alone reserves the right to use nuclear weapons.
Russian policy in nuclear deterrence
On June 2, 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved by decree the establishment of the Basic Principles of the State Policy of the Russian Federation on Nuclear Deterrence, and a key document of Russia's legal framework on this issue that was made available to the public. This was the first time that such a document explaining Russia's nuclear policy was published in the public domain. Previously, such information was classified. According to it, the guaranteed deterrence of a potential aggressor against Russia and/or its allies is one of the highest state priorities and is ensured by all of Russia’s military capabilities, including nuclear weapons.
The listed criteria for using nuclear weapons were the same as in the existing Russia’s military doctrine. However, the document for the first time ever listed specific threats subject to nuclear deterrence. These include the enemy's buildup of nuclear weapons delivery systems near the borders of Russia and its allies, and the deployment of missile defense systems, medium-and short-range missiles, high-precision non-nuclear and hypersonic weapons, attack drones, and laser weapons by a country that considers Russia an adversary.
The deterrence policy is also directed against countries deploying missile defense systems in space, countries possessing nuclear weapons and the means to transport them, the uncontrolled spread of nuclear weapons and the deployment of nuclear weapons and delivery systems in non-nuclear states. The document listed the principles of nuclear deterrence: continuity, adaptability to emerging threats, rational organization of nuclear deterrence forces, constant readiness of part of these forces, centralized control, and maintaining uncertainty for potential adversaries regarding the scale, timing, and location of the use of nuclear deterrence forces.
The Basic Principles of the State Policy of the Russian Federation on Nuclear Deterrence did not clarify the difference between strategic nuclear weapons and tactical nuclear weapons, which emphasized the unity of the deterrent function unique to all types of nuclear weapons.
On September 25, 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin held the first public meeting of the permanent session of the Russian Security Council on nuclear deterrence. During the meeting the president proposed to change the Russian nuclear doctrine. According to the latest version of the document, published on November 19, 2024, the core principle remains the same: nuclear weapons are a last resort to ensure the protection of the country's sovereignty. At the same time, parameters have been added that allow the use of nuclear weapons in case of new military threats and risks for Russia.
In particular, the document expanded the category of countries and military alliances that would be subject to nuclear deterrence. For example, the aggression of any non-nuclear state acting with the participation or support of a nuclear state will be considered a joint attack on Russia. In addition, the document expands the list of military threats that require such actions. Russia can respond with nuclear force if it perceives a critical threat to its sovereignty even with an ordinary weapon, as well as in case of an attack on Belarus as a member of the Union State, in case of receiving credible information about a massive attack of a group of military jets, cruise missiles, drones and other UAVs crossing the Russian state border.
Deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus
On March 23, 2023, Vladimir Putin said that at the request of the Belarusian side, Russia will deploy tactical nuclear weapons in the country, after the US did the same on the territory of its allies. Moscow has provided Minsk with the Iskander complex and helped re-equip Belarusian jets to ensure that they can carry nuclear weapons. Belarusian missile and artillery troops and pilots have undergone special training on Russian territory. By the end of April 2024, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that Russia had deployed several dozen nuclear warheads in the country. Minsk considered Russia's deployment of its nuclear weapons as a means of strategic deterrence.
