By Putin places Russia’s nuclear deterrence on high alert
Russian president Vladimir Putin has ordered his military to put the country’s nuclear deterrence forces on high alert in response to “aggressive statements” by NATO countries.
The order, announced by the TASS news agency, came at a meeting between Putin, defence minister Sergei Shoigu and chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia Valery Gerasimov.
“Senior officials of the leading NATO countries also allow aggressive statements against our country, therefore I order the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff [of the Russian Armed Forces] to transfer the deterrence forces of the Russian army to a special mode of combat duty,” Putin said in the statement.
Putin had already issued a warning that he was willing to use nuclear weapons as he began his invasion of Ukraine.
Last week, he warned that “whoever tries to hinder us” would see consequences “you have never seen in your history”.
Many interpreted this as a threat to use nuclear weapons if the West stood in his way.
The very public shift to high alert status is a way for Moscow to send a warning.
Moving to alert status is likely to make it easier to launch weapons more quickly, but it does not mean there is a current intent to use them.
Russia has the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world but also knows that Nato also has enough to destroy Russia if they were used.
The aim is likely to try and deter Nato support for Ukraine by creating fears over how far he is willing to go.
Ealier this morning Putin thanked Russia’s special forces, highlighting those who are “heroically fulfilling their military duty” in Ukraine.
In a televised address Putin hailed their “impeccable service in the name of the people of Russia and our great motherland”.
Updates to follow.
