Russia Keeps the West Guessing as It Mulls Nuclear Strategy Shift

‘Putin is practicing for the end of the world. Don’t assume he’s just bluffing,’ former CIA officer says.

A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is test-fired from the Plesetsk launchpad on the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia on Oct. 29, 2024. Russian Defense Ministry Press Service/AP

News Analysis

Russia says it is reconsidering its nuclear doctrine—the document it relies on when deciding whether to launch a nuclear strike—and earlier this week, it carried out a major missile test.