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By Hugh Cameron
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Dmitry Medvedev, a long-time ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has laid out the country's new deterrence policy against Western "aggression," and warned that provocations by Ukraine and its allies could result in nuclear war.
In what constitutes one of the starkest threats from Russia since the invasion began in February 2022, the politician's comments come amid reports that restrictions on Kyiv's use of Western weapons will soo be lifted.
Medvedev, who has previously held the positions of both president and prime minister, and currently serves as deputy chair of the country's Security Council, made the remarks in a long-winded post to Telegram on Wednesday evening.
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In it, he warned that the "neo-Nazi" Ukrainian regime, abetted by its Western allies, "are pushing the world towards a nuclear catastrophe."
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His comments echo those made by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who on Wednesday announced that his government would be reviewing the conditions under which the country might resort to employing its nuclear arsenal.
These updated guidelines, Putin said, would consider "aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state, as their joint attack on the Russian Federation."
"Everyone understands which countries we are talking about," Medvedev wrote; a clear reference to Ukraine, which does not possess nuclear weapons, but is supported by the nuclear-armed U.S., as well as France and the U.K.
The broader criteria would also treat any "massive" attack by missiles, aircraft or drones on Russian territory as worthy of a nuclear response, Putin continued, which Medvedev said would "cool the ardor of those opponents who have not yet lost their sense of self-preservation."
The updated policy would also consider Belarus, an ally of Moscow, as falling within Russia's nuclear umbrella, with any attack on the country treated as a nuclear provocation against Moscow itself.
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Newsweek spoke with Mariana Budjeryn, senior research associate at the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center*,* about the alterations in Russia's nuclear policy and the impacts this could have on the conflict.
Budjeryn said that, while different from former doctrines, the latest announcement does not mark a "drastic" change in Russian policy.
Putin's latest announcement is filled with ambiguous terms such as "critical danger to our sovereignty," or "massive" attacks by Russia's opponents, terms she claims lack any precise definition.
"What exactly does that mean? Who defines what constitutes a threat to sovereignty and whether it's extreme enough? Possibly Mr. Putin himself."
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The statements of both Medvedev and Putin coincide with Kyiv's efforts to gain permission to deploy long-range Western weaponry against Russian military targets.
Ukraine has long clamored for these restrictions to be eased, with Volodymyr Zelensky previously calling it the "one decision" that could halt the Russian advances into the country.
The Ukrainian president is visiting the U.S. this week, and the topic of long-range strikes will likely feature in his Thursday meeting with Joe Biden, during which Zelensky also plans to unveil his "Victory Plan" for the conflict.
Budjeryn told Newsweek that the timing of Putin's announcement suggests that these are in response to Zelensky's visit to the U.S.
Reports that the U.S., and other European countries, will assent to these requests have already drawn outrage from Moscow, who warn that such a move would make Ukraine's allies legitimate targets for direct retaliation.
However, Budjeryn said that the latest update to Russia's nuclear policy could reduce Kyiv's chances of receiving this permission, saying: "This was unlikely to happen even before Putin's announcement and is unlikely to happen now."
Update 09/12/26 10:50 p.m. ET: This article was updated to include comments from
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