Putin lowered the bar for a nuclear attack after the US lifted a ban on Ukraine using long-range missiles. Ukraine carried out its first strike with the weapons.

He declared that a conventional attack by any nation supported by a nuclear power will be considered a joint attack on Russia.

President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday formally lowered the threshold for Russia’s use of its nuclear weapons, a move that follows U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russian territory with American-supplied longer-range missiles.

Putin's newly signed decree permits the use of nuclear weapons in retaliation against any significant assault on Russia, including drone attacks.