DISINFO: Change in Russia's nuclear doctrine is a direct response to NATO aggression
SUMMARY
Recently, Western politicians have called for lifting restrictions on the Ukrainian Armed Forces to strike deep into Russian territory. Against this background, changes in Russia's nuclear doctrine should be considered Moscow's response to the aggressive plans of the US and Europe. For Russia, nuclear weapons are to deter aggression.
For more than two years, there have been statements in the West that they are not participating in direct military actions against Russia. But in fact, the EU and NATO countries are actively helping Ukraine with weapons and financing, supplying the Ukrainian Armed Forces with intelligence, and often planning operations against our troops. Moscow can no longer tolerate such games.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative accusing the NATO and its member states of having a belligerent and hostile agenda and of being masterminding the war in Ukraine.
Putin's updating of Russia's nuclear doctrine is just one more example of the Kremlin's ongoing nuclear blackmail. For years, pro-Kremlin actors have been making irresponsible hints and statements about the possibility of using nuclear arms in Russia's war against Ukraine. The Russian infosphere has seen nuclear threats being made against the West by public figures like Dmitry Kiselyov or Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Since the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian officials have made similar threats. These include Dmitry Medvedev, Ramzan Kadyrov, Margarita Simonyan and even Putin himself who specified that “it was not a bluff”.
The objective of this claim is to portray international aid for Ukraine’s self-defense against the full-scale Russian invasion as an aggression against Russia. This aims to deflect Moscow’s responsibility for its aggression. This narrative is engaged more vigorously after the Ukraine's advance and Russia’s setbacks in Kursk.
Western countries are not waging war against Russia. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are fighting Russian invaders in Ukraine. Accusations of direct Western involvement in perpetuating the conflict often serve to deflect attention from Russia's sole responsibility in fueling the crisis.
A broad coalition of more than 50 nations, including Western countries, are providing Ukraine with military and technical assistance with the aim of repelling Russia's aggression, but they are not involved in direct fighting. Ukraine receives weapons with the sole aim of restoring its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
Our analysis of the recent communication strategy of pro-Kremlin outlets explains how they attempt to portray Russia as a victim and to deceive audiences into believing that Russia is fighting Western powers.
Read similar disinformation cases claiming that The West uses Ukraine to destroy Russia, that The conflict in Ukraine was unleashed by the West, that The West pushed Ukraine towards war with Russia, that The West is fighting a proxy war in Ukraine, that When the West became a participant in the conflict in Ukraine, the special military operation became a war, that The West / NATO fighting a hegemonic proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, or that The conflict in Ukraine is a proxy war waged by NATO against Russia.