Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an act on Tuesday that expands Moscow's use of nuclear weapons against a non-nuclear state if it is backed by nuclear powers. The move is intended to send a strong warning to the West and Ukraine. 

This decision comes as the Russia and Ukraine conflict marks its 1000th day, following Joe Biden's approval for Ukraine to use long-range missiles to target deeper into Russian territory. The Biden administration made a major policy shift by permitting Ukraine to use US-made ATACMS missiles to target locations within Russia, marking a significant escalation. This decision was made just two months before President Joe Biden is set to hand over power to Donald Trump, who has voiced scepticism regarding US military support for Ukraine.

The Kremlin pledged Tuesday to defeat Ukraine, claiming that Western assistance "cannot affect the outcome of our operation" and that Western backing for Kyiv would not influence the battle. It is ongoing and will be finished. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated, "The military operation against Kyiv continues." He also mentioned that an act of aggression by a non-nuclear state, with support from a nuclear state, is regarded as a collective attack, referring to Ukraine and its Western allies. Peskov further emphasised that Russia has always considered nuclear weapons as a deterrent and would only use them if it feels "forced" to do so.

The NATO chief recently emphasised that Putin must not be allowed to "get his way" in Ukraine. However, just a month ago, he had stated that he did not foresee an immediate threat of nuclear weapons from Russia, despite the country's "reckless and irresponsible" actions. Russia's nuclear doctrine will also extend to its close ally, Belarus. This highlights Putin's ability to pressure the West into backing down while Russia continues its gradual offensive in Ukraine. As per a Bloomberg report, Ukrainian forces launched their first strike on a border area within Russian territory using an ATACMS missile, according to an official from the Ukrainian military, as reported by RBC Ukraine.

Today marks the 1,000th day of the war between Russia and Ukraine, the deadliest conflict Europe has witnessed since World War II. Reports suggest that over one million people have either died or been severely injured since the war began. Amid the devastation of this brutal conflict, cities, towns, and villages across Ukraine have been reduced to ruins. The ongoing loss of life and destruction of infrastructure continue to unfold, with a constant stream of tragic stories emerging from the war-torn nation. Nonetheless, both Ukraine and Russia are experiencing population declines and hardships that predate the conflict. Thus, both countries will see significant demographic repercussions from the war's startling death toll.