Unsound doctrine

• Russian President Vladimir Putin’s revision of Russia’s nuclear doctrine has sparked increased war rhetoric.
• Putin stated that a conventional attack on Russia by any country supported by a nuclear power would be considered a “joint attack” and dealt with accordingly.
• Russia could use nuclear weapons in response to a conventional attack posing a “critical threat to [its] sovereignty”.
• Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated this threat, stating defeating Russia on the battlefield is “senseless” given Moscow’s nuclear weapons.
• Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed a new “victory plan” for Ukraine, requesting permission from the U.S. and other western countries to use missiles and heavy weaponry for attacks deep inside Russia.
• Despite this, the euphoria in Kyiv has dissipated as Russia retaliates, sending troops to Kursk and opening a new front around Ukraine’s Pokrovsk.
• U.S. President Joseph Biden announced nearly $8 billion in additional military aid for Ukraine, but made no reference to the demand for its utilisation inside Russia.
• It remains to be seen if concerns about the war reaching a “nuclear threshold” will grow from this point on.
• Countries like India, which has committed to dialogue and peace, are urged to redouble their efforts to prevent such a catastrophe.