Russia’s nuclear doctrine has been updated primarily to ratify its nuclear umbrella for the six member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), with a clear focus on Belarus.

The announcement was made after a joint meeting of the CSTO’s Council of Foreign Ministers, Council of Defense Ministers, and Committee of Secretaries of the Security Council in Astana.

According to the official news agency TASSRussia’s Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu highlighted Moscow’s commitment to protecting its allies under the CSTO.

The CSTO, created in 2002, is a Russian-led security bloc that includes Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Belarus and Russia. The treaty commits members to collective defense, which is consistent with NATO’s principle of mutual assistance in the event of an attack. However, Armenia has announced it will leave the security alliance after the group failed to help it during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Although Armenia has not formally left the security alliance, it does not participate in its activities.

Belarus, as part of the Union State with Russia, enjoys an even closer alliance under an agreement that establishes comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

Shoigu clarified that while the previous nuclear doctrine included protection for CSTO allies, the latest version clearly defines the criteria for the use of nuclear weapons in the event of aggression against Belarus that excludes the use of conventional weapons. or are facing threats to the existence of the country.

This feature marks the first time Belarus has been specifically named in Russia’s nuclear doctrine, despite decades of implicit coverage under the CSTO.

“It has a separate additional provision, which in my view is very important, and applies to Belarus,” Shoigu said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also previously reiterated his position that Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons to defend Belarus.

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Moscow, had previously expressed approval of Belarus’ inclusion under Russia’s nuclear umbrella, calling it a move that was “long overdue”.

The strengthening of ties between Moscow and Minsk has been evident this year, with Russia deploying tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus. The move is a sign of their increasingly interconnected military strategy amid rising regional tensions.

On the other hand, the White House’s National Security Council said Russia’s decision to lower its threshold for nuclear retaliation was not unexpected and did not warrant any adjustment in the US’s nuclear posture.

Putin Claims Hypersonic Weapons, Warns of Attacks on Ukrainian Targets

In a separate statement at the CSTO meeting on November 28, Putin highlighted the destructive potential of “Orshank” (Hazel) missiles, and suggested that a coordinated strike using these weapons could counter the effects of nuclear weapons. is

“In the opinion of military and technical experts, in the case of a large-scale, group attack of these missiles, that is, several missiles in a cluster at the same time, their single strike would be comparable to the use of nuclear weapons. However, certain Oryshank is not a weapon of mass destruction,” the Russian president said.

The Russian leader praised the Oryshank as globally unparalleled and said there was no comparable technology. “There are no analogues of Orshank in the world, and I am sure that such analogues will not appear anytime soon,” he said.

Putin too Continued A stark warning about potential targets in Ukraine, indicating that the decision-making centers in Kiev are considering the destruction of the Orshank missile system.

“The Ministry of Defense and the General Staff are currently identifying targets inside Ukraine. These may include military facilities, defense industry institutions, or key decision-making centers in Kiev,” he warned.

He added that the choice of targets and means of destruction would depend on the nature of the threat posed to Russia. Putin further announced that serial production of the Orshank system had begun, signaling an increase in its operational readiness.

On November 21, there were Orshank missiles. Allegedly Tested under war conditions, Putin’s proposed move is repeatable. “We will choose our response depending on the nature of threats to the Russian Federation and, if necessary, continue to test Hazel in live combat scenarios.”

Putin also highlighted Russia’s vast arsenal of hypersonic systems, calling them “ready for use” and noting their deployment in recent retaliatory strikes.

He claimed that over two days, Russia fired 100 missiles of various types and 466 drones at Ukrainian positions in response to attacks by US-supplied weapons.

Hinting at further developments, Putin suggested that Russia could soon introduce additional missile systems.

“We have a diverse ‘menu’ of missile systems, and other products may come out soon. As he says, the client will definitely be satisfied,” he said, citing Russia’s continued missile innovation and strategic superiority. said in a thinly veiled claim to attention.