**Putin Lowers Nuclear Threshold: Russia's Revised Doctrine Raises Alarms**

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a revised nuclear doctrine, effectively lowering Russia's threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. This significant policy shift suggests that Russia might deploy nuclear arms in response to attacks from Ukraine, particularly if those attacks have American backing.

The updated doctrine broadens the spectrum of nations and alliances, notably NATO, that Russia considers under its nuclear deterrence umbrella. Despite this expanded scope, the Russian government maintains that the deployment of nuclear arms would only be a last resort to safeguard the nation's sovereignty, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.

Simultaneously, tensions between Russia and Ukraine have escalated. On Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry accused Ukraine of launching six U.S.-manufactured ATACMS missiles into the Bryansk region of Russia. This incident coincides closely with the U.S. authorization allowing Ukraine to utilize long-range missiles to target Russian territory for the first time.

Putin's move to lower the threshold for nuclear weapon use is not a new development; it aligns with his longstanding strategy. However, the context surrounding this latest doctrinal change is particularly stark. Just days prior, President Biden gave the green light for Ukraine to strike Russian and North Korean forces in the Kursk region with U.S.-supplied long-range missiles. This marks the first instance of such authorization from the U.S., underscoring the deepening complexity of the conflict.