Europe is on alert: Putin’s chilling warning amid US missile support for Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new decree lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons, allowing their potential use even in the event of significant damage from conventional attacks, such as missiles, drones or aircraft. The move comes in response to US President Joe Biden’s approval for Ukraine to use longer-range missiles, specifically the ATACMS, which can strike up to 300 kilometers into Russia. With NATO’s Storm Shadow and Scalp missiles already allowing Ukraine to target up to 150 kilometers into Russian territory, Putin’s decree escalates tensions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed the importance of understanding the new doctrine, which changes Russia’s previous 2020 nuclear policy and allows nuclear strikes in case of both nuclear and serious conventional attacks. Meanwhile, Ukraine is preparing for a Russian attack on Kursk, a strategically important region, and reports suggest a large force, including North Korean forces, is being mobilized for the operation. President Zelenskyy has pushed for US approval to use longer-range missiles to attack Russian forces in the region as it is a key leverage point for peace talks.