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Putin just approved a new nuclear weapons doctrine for Russia. Here’s what it means.
Russian President Vladimir Putin approved changes to his country’s nuclear doctrine this week, formally amending the conditions — and lowering the threshold — under which Russia would consider using its nuclear weapons. Moscow announced Tuesday that Putin had signed off on the changes to the doctrine, formally known as “The basics of state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence,” as Ukraine launched its first strike deeper into Russia using U.S.-supplied missiles.
The updated doctrine states that Russia will treat an attack by a non-nuclear state that is supported by a country with nuclear capabilities as a joint attack by both. That means any attack on Russia by a country that’s part of a coalition could be seen as an attack by the entire group.
Under the doctrine, Russia could theoretically consider any major attack on its territory, even with conventional weapons, by non-nuclear-armed Ukraine sufficient to trigger a nuclear response, because Ukraine is backed by the nuclear-armed United States.
Putin has threatened to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine multiple times since he ordered the full-scale invasion of the country on Feb. 24, 2022, and Russia has repeatedly warned the West that if Washington allowed Ukraine to fire Western-made missiles deep into its territory, it would consider the U.S. and its NATO allies to be directly involved in the war.
U.S. officials said Ukraine fired eight U.S.-made ATACMS missiles into Russia’s Bryansk region early Tuesday, just a couple days after President Biden gave Ukraine permission to fire the weapons deeper into Russian territory. ATACMS are powerful weapons with a maximum range of almost 190 miles.
“This is the latest instance of a long string of nuclear rhetoric and signaling that has been coming out of Moscow since the beginning of this full scale invasion,” Mariana Budjeryn, Senior Research Associate at Harvard’s Belfer Center, told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle when the change to Russia’s nuclear doctrine was first proposed last month.
“The previous version of the Russian doctrine adopted in 2020 allowed also a nuclear response to a large-scale conventional attack, but only in extreme circumstances where the very survival of the state was at stake,” Budjeryn noted. “This formulation has changed to say, well, extreme circumstances that jeopardize the sovereignty of Russia. Well, what does that really mean and who defines what serious threats to sovereignty might constitute?”
Budjeryn said Russia had already used weapons against Ukraine that could carry a nuclear payload.
“Russia has been using a number of delivery systems of missiles that [can] also come with a nuclear warhead. So these are dual capable systems. For example, Iskander M short range ballistic missiles. Those have been used extensively in this war by Russia. So when we have an incoming from Russia to Ukraine and we see that it’s an Iskander missile, we don’t know if it’s nuclear tipped or conventionally tipped,” Budjeryn said.
Ukrainian parliamentarian Oleksandra Ustinova, who says she helped lobby the Biden administration for the permission for Ukraine to fire the ATACMS deeper inside Russia, told CBS News she didn’t believe Putin would actually carry out a nuclear strike.
“He keeps playing and pretending like he’s going to do something,” Ustinova said. “I’ve been saying since day one that he’s a bully, and he’s not going to do that.”
contributed to this report.
Presented by Visit Seattle & CBS News Brand Studio.
There are no shortage of reasons to visit Seattle. Whether you’re drawn to iconic landmarks like the Space Needle, stunning landscapes including Mount Rainier or the innovation-driven economy that keeps the city buzzing, there’s something for everyone. In Seattle, businesses that started here thrive, and that’s reflected in the stories of three of the city’s homegrown brands: Nordstrom, Alaska Airlines and REI.
Nordstrom’s legacy of innovation
Seattle is a magnet for pioneering companies that embody a unique blend of ambition and community. From global corporations like Starbucks, Amazon and Expedia, to beloved local brands, innovation is at the heart of the city’s DNA.
Nordstrom CEO Erik Nordstrom and his family have led one of Seattle’s most iconic brands for over a century.
“My great-grandfather ended up opening up a shoe store that over 123 years has become what our company is today,” he said. “We’ve benefited from everything that the city has become.”
Nordstrom was co-founded in 1901 by Swedish immigrant John Nordstrom. The company has grown into a retail juggernaut with more than 360 locations nationwide. Today, their flagship store remains proudly rooted downtown, just blocks away from their original location.
The business has benefited from how Seattle has evolved over the last century. Nordstrom credits the city’s flourishing technology industry with helping the company keep up with trends.
“We were very early in the e-commerce business, and that was a direct result of having that level of talent here in the city,” he said.
Nordstrom’s story illustrates how Seattle’s forward-thinking culture fuels long-term success.
“Seattle is a no-nonsense hard-working place,” Nordstrom added. “It’s also a very friendly place. And our focus on customer service is something that I think is a reflection of the community here.”
Globally connected with Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines takes Seattle’s spirit of adventure to the skies.
The company’s roots go back to 1932 when Mac McGee shuttled customers across the Alaska territory with a single three-seater Stinson plane. More than 70 years ago, the company moved its headquarters to Seattle to take advantage of all the city offers. Alaska Airlines has expanded to over 100 non-stop destinations and connects passengers with over 30 global carriers.
“As Seattle has grown, so have we,” said Constance von Muehlen, Alaska Airlines COO. “I think Seattle is really a gateway to the world and has become more so in the last 20 years.”
The airline’s deep ties to the region also extend to the in-flight experience, where Seattle’s local brands are put on display.
“We offer things like Beecher’s cheese or Evergreens salads or Seattle Chocolate. It’s really a wonderful partnership to showcase the great things that come from this city.”
The great outdoors, the REI way
Seattle is a gateway to adventure, so it’s no surprise the city’s rugged surroundings gave rise to REI. Founders Mary and Lloyd Anderson pooled resources with 21 friends to get better prices on mountain climbing gear in 1938, and Recreational Equipment Incorporated was born.
REI President and CEO Eric Artz credits the region’s natural environment for shaping the brand’s mission.
“The inspiration of REI began with what we have around us here in the Seattle area, which is just the joy of spending time outside in incredible outdoor, natural places,” Artz explained.
With 24 million co-op members and more than 190 locations, REI’s footprint extends far beyond Seattle, yet its core values remain rooted in the Pacific Northwest.
“There is a very entrepreneurial can-do spirit here in the Seattle area. There is a care for one another as well. I think it’s all of those kind of values and attributes that contributed, you know, literally to the idea of the cooperative,“ Artz said.
Collective business ethos is a win for Seattle
Whether it’s Nordstrom’s commitment to service, Alaska Airlines’ adventurous spirit or REI’s passion for stewardship, these businesses demonstrate how Seattle fosters growth and transformation, creating a city where ambition and collaboration shape the future.
Seattle’s hometown companies prove that success extends beyond profit, cultivating a culture of innovation and care that defines the city’s business ecosystem.
President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name Russ Vought to lead the Office of Management and budget, according to two sources close to the transition.
If confirmed, this will be Vought’s second time in the role. He served as OMB director during Trump’s first term, too.
Vought wrote a chapter of The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 blueprint — his chapter covers the “Executive Office of the President.”
The OMB director’s office develops the president’s proposed budget, and it’s responsible for executing the president’s agenda across the federal government.
Trump continues to make new appointments and nominations on a nearly daily basis. As CBS News has previously reported, the president-elect aims to announce all of his Cabinet-level picks by Thanksgiving.
contributed to this report.
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