Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Nov. 19 that Moscow "will respond accordingly" to Washington's permission for Ukraine to strike Russian soil with U.S. weapons.
Speaking at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Lavrov referred to Russia’s updated nuclear doctrine, which permits nuclear retaliation for attacks by non-nuclear states supported by nuclear powers.
When asked during the summit if the U.S. had authorized Ukraine to use long-range weapons to target Russia, Lavrov responded, "I don’t know whether it’s true or not. We are focused on ensuring our security."
"We have already stated everything necessary to those considering this, officially. The president said it, and now it’s confirmed in an official document," he said, according to TASS.
On Nov. 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved an updated nuclear deterrence policy that expands the conditions for a nuclear strike.
The revised doctrine outlines scenarios that could justify a nuclear strike, suggesting that this could include "aggression against the Russian Federation and its allies by a non-nuclear state with the support of a nuclear state" and large-scale non-nuclear attacks.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
The alleged use of U.S. ATACMS missiles by Ukraine to strike Russia’s Bryansk Oblast was reportedly the catalyst for Lavrov's remarks.
Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council known for his provocative and often extreme outbursts, also weighed in, threatening to use weapons of mass destruction against Ukraine and NATO.
According to the official, the updated doctrine could qualify Ukraine's use of NATO-supplied missiles in Russia as a trigger for "a mass retaliatory strike with weapons of mass destruction on Kyiv and main NATO facilities."
"This is already World War III," Medvedev wrote on his Telegram channel.
Russia has repeatedly set supposed "red lines" on Western assistance for Ukraine, sometimes accompanied by veiled or overt nuclear threats.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock dismissed the Kremlin's blackmail, calling them a tactic to exploit the West’s fears.
The Pentagon stated there are no indications of Russia preparing to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine despite its revised nuclear doctrine. Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh called Russia's rhetoric "irresponsible" and consistent with its behavior over the past two years.
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