Russia lowers threshold for nuclear strikes, WH says US not changing posture

PHOTO CAPTION: A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit taxies to the runway after refueling during a mission at Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, Aug. 21, 2024. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Whitney Erhart via U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service) 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States was not surprised by Russia's announced change in its nuclear doctrine and does not plan to adjust its own nuclear posture in response, a White House National Security Council spokesperson said on Tuesday.

"As we said earlier this month, we were not surprised by Russia’s announcement that it would update its nuclear doctrine; Russia had been signaling its intent to update its doctrine for several weeks," the spokesperson said in a statement that also cited "more of the same irresponsible rhetoric from Russia."

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike in response to a broader range of conventional attacks, and Moscow said Ukraine had struck deep inside Russia with U.S.-made ATACMS missiles.

"Observing no changes to Russia’s nuclear posture, we have not seen any reason to adjust our own nuclear posture or doctrine in response to Russia’s statements today."

The statement also cited Russia's use of North Korean troops in Ukraine, which it called a significant escalation.



(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Doina Chiacu; editing by Jonathan Oatis, William Maclean)