“The United States was not surprised that Russia lowered its threshold for a nuclear strike and has no plans to adjust its own nuclear posture in response,” the White House said Tuesday. “As we said earlier this month, we were not surprised by Russia's announcement that it would update its nuclear doctrine. Russia has signaled its intention to update its doctrine for several weeks,” the White House National Security Council said in a statement.

“Seeing no change in Russia's nuclear posture, we see no reason to adjust our own nuclear posture or doctrine in response to Russia's announcements today,” the statement said.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the updated nuclear doctrine.

TASS cited the main provisions of the nuclear doctrine:

Aggression against the Russian Federation and its allies by a non-nuclear country with the support of a nuclear state will be considered a joint attack;

Russia's readiness and determination to use nuclear weapons will ensure nuclear deterrence; Russia may use nuclear weapons in case of a critical threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of itself and Belarus; the updated nuclear doctrine defines the enemy against whom nuclear deterrence is conducted; among the conditions for the use of nuclear weapons is the launch of ballistic missiles against Russia; the provision of territory and resources for aggression against Russia is grounds for nuclear deterrence of such a state.