President of Russia Vladimir Putin has ordered the military command to put the nuclear deterrent forces on high alert amid tensions with the West over Ukraine.
During a meeting with his top officials, president Putin claimed on Sunday (27 February) that leading NATO nations had made "aggressive statements", along with the West, which had imposed strict financial sanctions on Russia, including on the Russian president himself and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
"Western countries aren't only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country," Putin said in televised comments.
Putin ordered Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu and the Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimovto to put the country's nuclear deterrent forces in a "special regime of combat service".
A few days ago, the Russian president threatened harsh retaliation against all countries that intervened directly in the conflict in Ukraine.
