War in Ukraine: Putin expands his options for using nuclear weapons, including missile attacks on Russia

This Sunday, November 17, the United States authorized Ukraine to strike Russian soil with its long-range missiles. Two days later, on the thousandth day of his offensive against Ukraine, Vladimir Putin signed the decree expanding the possibilities of using nuclear weapons. “Among the conditions justifying the use of nuclear weapons is the launch of ballistic missiles against Russia,” according to this decree.

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DIRECT. War in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin signs a decree expanding the possibilities of using nuclear weapons

“It was necessary to adapt our foundations to the current situation,” explained the spokesperson for the Russian presidency, Dmitri Peskov, in the face of what Vladimir Putin considers to be “threats” emanating from the West against security. of Russia.

An additional possibility of resorting to nuclear weapons

The Russian president warned at the end of September that his country could now use nuclear weapons in the event of a “massive launch” of air attacks against Russia. And that any assault carried out by a non-nuclear country, such as Ukraine, but supported by a power with atomic weapons, such as the United States, could be considered a “joint” aggression, potentially requiring recourse to nuclear weapons. nuclear weapon.

Another case which opens the way to such a recourse, “the provision of territory and resources for aggression against Russia”, continues the text signed by Vladimir Putin.

Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, the master of the Kremlin has blown hot and cold about the possible use of nuclear weapons. Russia deployed tactical nuclear weapons in the summer of 2023 to Belarus, its closest ally, which also announced in May a synchronized exercise with Moscow to check its tactical nuclear weapons launchers.