Russia updates its 2020 ND, reaffirming nuclear weapons' role in deterring enemies and defining potential use scenarios.

• Nuclear Doctrine: It defines the purpose, development, and deployment of nuclear weapons, as well as their intended use.

Russia's Revised Nuclear Doctrine (ND)

• Expanded definition of nuclear attack:  Any aggression against Russia by a non-nuclear state, supported by a nuclear state, is treated as a joint attack, justifying nuclear retaliation.
  • It explicitly targets countries allowing their territories to be used for aggression against Russia.
• Lowering nuclear response threshold: Russian ND expanded from defending state's existence to protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity. 
  • Belarus formally placed under Russia’s nuclear umbrella. 
• New risks triggering potential nuclear response include: Expansion of military coalitions & Large-scale military exercises near Russian borders; Positioning of enemy military infrastructure closer to Russian borders.

Potential Impact of Russia’s revised ND

• Increased Nuclear escalation: The revised ND increases the chance of using Tactical Nuclear warfare.
• Weakening the Non-Proliferation Regime: The revised doctrine may enhance difficulty in persuading states to abandon nuclear weapons programs.
• Increasing distrust: Russia's lowered nuclear threshold and expanded definition of "extreme circumstances" could exacerbate distrust between Russia and the US.