In a dramatic escalation of East-West tensions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces placed on excessive alert on Sunday in reaction to what he referred to as competitive statements through main NATO powers.
The order manner Putin needs Russia’s nuclear guns organized for improved readiness to release and increases the hazard that Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and the West’s reaction to it may boil over into nuclear warfare.
Amid the annoying development, the workplace of Ukraine’s president stated a delegation might meet with Russian officers as Moscow’s troops drew toward Kyiv.
Putin, in giving the nuclear alert directive, stated now no longer best the alleged statements through NATO participants however the hard-hitting monetary sanctions imposed through the West in opposition to Russia, inclusive of the Russian chief himself.
Speaking at a assembly together along with his pinnacle officers, Putin advised his protection minister and the leader of the military’s General Staff to position the nuclear deterrent forces in a unique regime of fight duty.
Western international locations are not best taking unfriendly movements in opposition to our us of a withinside the financial sphere, however pinnacle officers from main NATO participants made competitive statements concerning our us of a, Putin stated in televised comments.
Putin threatened withinside the days earlier than Russia’s invasion to retaliate harshly in opposition to any international locations that intervened immediately withinside the struggle in Ukraine, and he in particular raised the threat of his us of a’s repute as a nuclear power.