Russian Military to Have Authority Over Nuclear Strike Conditions, Kremlin Says

Russia’s Defense Ministry will soon have the authority to determine whether the conditions for using nuclear weapons are met, the Kremlin said Sunday, following announced plans to revise the country’s nuclear doctrine.

“This is the prerogative of our specialists, our military, who are closely monitoring the weapons used and how they are being employed,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. He said the military is responsible for tracking the “direct involvement” of Western countries in war on Ukraine.

Peskov confirmed that recently announced amendments to Russia’s nuclear doctrine are taking shape and will be legally formalized soon. These changes, he said, are necessary due to the growing role of nuclear powers in the war in Ukraine and NATO’s expanded presence near Russia’s borders.

Last week, President Vladimir Putin revealed plans to broaden the rules governing Moscow’s use of nuclear weapons, allowing for a nuclear response in the event of a “massive” air attack. The proposed changes would also treat attacks by non-nuclear countries supported by nuclear powers as joint attacks by both.

Peskov said Thursday that the planned changes “must be considered a specific signal” to Western countries as they consider whether to allow Ukraine to fire long-range missiles deep inside Russian territory.