Originally Posted by
ORAC
....
Russia’s military doctrine dictates the use of nuclear weapons in response to any non-nuclear assault on Russian territory.
ORAC, it's an incorrect (intentional or unintentional) interpretation or translation. There no words "dictates" and "any" there.
It is written in the original (I just opened that web page) that Russia "reserves the right to use N-weap in response to use N-weaps or other WoMD against it or its allies, and also in the case of aggression against RF with the use of conventional weaps when the existence of the state is at threat. The decision is made by the president".
Russian original:
<<< 27. Российская Федерация оставляет за собой право применить ядерное оружие в ответ на применение против нее и (или) ее союзников ядерного и других видов оружия массового поражения, а также в случае агрессии против Российской Федерации с применением обычного оружия, когда под угрозу поставлено само существование государства. Решение о применении ядерного оружия принимается Президентом Российской Федерации >>>
So, IMHO sounds not as black-or-white.
E.g. if "hordes of tanks from baltic superstates" enter the Russian territory, no need to use nukes. They would be kicked out by a couple of battalions.
The latter phrase remains in the doctrine since the times of Mao when millions of Chinese soldiers were ready to cross the Russian border in Far East so that no conventional weaps could stop such a crowd of kamikadze fanatics.