The circumstances for a possible nuclear strike by Russia are written within the nation's army doctrine, Russia's Deputy International Minister Alexander Grushko advised Russia's state-owned information company RIA Novosti.

Grushko had responded to a query in regards to the probability of Russia utilizing nuclear weapons in opposition to its enemies by saying that the reply was written "in black and white."

"We have now a army doctrine, every thing is written there. It doesn't give some other interpretation, apart from what's there in black and white," he stated.

Beneath Russia's official army deployment ideas, the nation is allowed to make use of nuclear weapons when Russia's enemies are utilizing nuclear weapons or different forms of weapons of mass destruction on Russian territories and/or its allies; if Russia receives dependable knowledge on a launch of ballistic missiles attacking its territory or that of Russian allies; if Russia's important authorities or army websites are attacked by the enemy in a approach that will undermine nuclear forces response actions; or if the nation faces an existential menace by way of using typical weapons.

Russia nuclear Ukraine
Russia stated the circumstances for a nuclear strike are written within the nation's army doctrine. Above, a Russian serviceman patrols the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Energy Station in Energodar on Could 1, 2022.ANDREY BORODULIN/AFP through Getty Photographs

The decree signed by President Vladimir Putin on June 2, 2020—a six-page doc titled Primary Rules of the Russian Federation's State Coverage within the Area of Nuclear Deterrence—says that nuclear weapons are seen by Russia "completely as a way of deterrence," Reuters reported.

Beneath the Primary Rules, Russia established that using nuclear weapons is "an excessive and compelled measure," which the nation "takes all crucial efforts" to keep away from.

One of many 4 circumstances outlined inside Russia's army doctrine permitting using nuclear weapons by Moscow is dangerously near the phrasing Putin has beforehand used to explain the hostility of the West in the direction of Russia.

In an tackle to the nation on February 24, the day the Russian invasion of Ukraine started, Putin talked of the "basic threats which irresponsible Western politicians created for Russia persistently, rudely and unceremoniously from yr to yr" by increasing NATO nearer to the Russian borders.

The Russian president stated the growth of NATO was "a matter of life and loss of life" for Russia, "a matter of our historic future as a nation." He referred to as it, particularly, a "not solely an actual menace to our pursuits however to the very existence of our state and to its sovereignty."

If that's the "pink line" for unleashing a nuclear strike acknowledged by Russia's army doctrine, Putin has already claimed the U.S. and its NATO allies have crossed it. The choice to launch a nuclear assault is finally in his energy.

Replace 05/10/22, 8 a.m. ET: This text was up to date with extra info and context.