Kremlin warns of possible nuclear response if Kyiv uses Western-made missiles

Moscow, Nov 20: Moscow's revised nuclear doctrine outlines the possibility of a nuclear response if Kyiv uses Western-made missiles against Russia, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

"The Russian Federation reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in the event of aggression against it or the Republic of Belarus, ... with the use of conventional weapons, in a way that poses a critical threat to their sovereignty and (or) territorial integrity," Peskov said on Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree approving Russia's updated nuclear doctrine on Tuesday, reports Xinhua news agency. The spokesperson further said that Russia would view the use of Western non-nuclear missiles by Ukraine as an attack by a non-nuclear state with the support of a nuclear state against the country, potentially justifying the use of nuclear weapons by Moscow.

Peskov said that the doctrine outlines that "aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state with the participation or support of a nuclear state" would be considered a joint attack.