India, Oct. 14 -- Late last month, Russia announced a major shift in its nuclear doctrine, effectively lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. President Vladimir Putin declared that aggression against Russia by a non-nuclear State, but "with the participation or support" of a nuclear one, will be considered a joint attack by Russia, potentially triggering nuclear use. Additionally, he stressed that Moscow will consider the first use of nukes "upon receipt of reliable information of a massive launch of air and space attack weapons and their crossing of the State border...using strategic and tactical aircraft, cruise missiles, UAVs, hypersonic and other aircraft."

Russia was warning Ukraine's supporters, of course. But Mosco...