JUST IN: Putin Updates Nuclear Doctrine — Two Days After Biden Permits Ukraine To Strike Inside Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Tuesday expanding the conditions under which Russia might deploy nuclear weapons in reaction to President Joe Biden’s decision to permit Ukraine to target Russian military bases using long-range missiles two days ago.

The Kremlin’s updated nuclear doctrine stipulates that any conventional attack on Russia by a non-nuclear armed nation, if backed by a nuclear-armed nation, will be considered a joint aggression, potentially warranting a nuclear response.

The Kremlin condemned the U.S. long-range missile decision as an escalation. In a statement, Russian officials warned that missile strikes deep into Russian territory could radically transform the conflict, effectively bringing the U.S., Britain, and France into direct confrontation with Russia.

According to CNN, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the policy shift lowers the bar and means “the Russian Federation reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in the event of aggression using conventional weapons against it and/or the Republic of Belarus.”