The United States has no reason to adjust its nuclear posture, the State Department said on Tuesday, after Moscow lowered the criteria for a nuclear attack, but called on Russia to stop its irresponsible rhetoric.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, speaking to reporters at a regular briefing, stressed that Washington in general is “incredibly concerned” about Russia’s hybrid warfare and remains in close contact with European partners on the issue.

“We call on Russia to stop its bellicose and irresponsible rhetoric,” the US official noted.

Putin’s nuclear doctrine a warning to the US

Russia today published its updated nuclear doctrine on Tuesday… I hope it has been read well,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said ominously earlier on Tuesday.

“We are convinced that nuclear weapons are a deterrent. Russia’s position is that there will be no nuclear war,” said the Russian head of diplomacy.

The updated doctrine signed by Putin todayofficially known as “the basic principles of state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence,” describes the threats that would cause Russia, the world’s largest nuclear power, to use such weapons.

OR Russia would consider a nuclear strike if it or its ally Belarus faced an attack “using conventional weapons that would pose a critical threat to their sovereignty and/or territorial integrity”the new doctrine states.

The previous doctrine, laid out in a 2020 decree, said Russia could use nuclear weapons in the event of a nuclear attack by an enemy or a conventional attack that threatened the existence of the state.

The updated nuclear doctrine also notes that any conventional attack against Russia by a non-nuclear power backed by a nuclear power would be considered a joint attack. Any massive air strike by aircraft, cruise missiles and drones across Russia’s borders could also warrant a nuclear response.

“An attack against the Russian Federation and/or its allies by any non-nuclear state with the participation or support of a nuclear state is considered a joint attack”characteristically mentions the updated doctrine signed by the Russian president. “An attack by any state from a military coalition against the Russian Federation and (or) its allies is considered an attack by the coalition as a whole.”

The Kremlin said Russia views nuclear weapons as a means of deterrence and that the aim of the updated doctrine is to make it abundantly clear to potential enemies that retaliation will be inevitable if they attack Russia.

Russia and the US together control 88% of the world’s nuclear warheads and Putin is the main decision-maker on the use of Russia’s nuclear arsenal.

The Ukrainian attack with ATACMS in Bryansk

New videos that appear to show the Ukrainian attack in the Russian region of Bryansk in the early hours have seen the light of day. According to a laconic announcement by the Russian Ministry of Defense, six ATACMS missiles hit the territory of the Bryansk region, of which 5 were shot down by the Pantsir system and another was damaged.

“Tonight at 03:25 the enemy hit an installation on the territory of the Bryansk region with six ballistic missiles. According to confirmed data, American-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles were used. Five missiles were shot down and one was damaged”the Ministry of Defense said.

“The fragments of the missile fell on the ground of a military installation in the Bryansk region, causing a fire, which was immediately extinguished. There were no casualties or damage.”the ministry adds.

It is noted that Karachev is not far from Bryansk while it is about 130 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Ukraine’s attacks with US ATACMS missiles on Russian border areas are a sign that “Kiev is looking for escalation”. “President Putin has warned,” he said.

Earlier, the Ukrainian RBC Ukraine, citing a national army official, reported that the Ukrainian armed forces carried out their first strike on an area inside Russian territory with US ATACMS missiles. According to the source of the Ukrainian agency, the strike hit a military installation near the city of Karachev in the Bryansk region of Russia. “Indeed, for the first time the ATACMS system was used to strike the territory of the Russian Federation. The strike was carried out on a target in the Bryansk region, which was successfully hit.” the source noted.