Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia’s military to put its deterrence forces, which include nuclear weapons, on “special alert”.
He told defence chiefs it was because of “aggressive statements” by the West, amid widespread condemnation of his invasion of Ukraine.
Whreas Vladimir Putin said the announcement does not mean Russia intends to use the weapons, the US immediately condemned his decision calling it an “unacceptable escalation”.
Last week, Mr. Putin had warned that whoever tries to hinder them in Ukraine would see consequences they had never seen in history.
Those words were widely interpreted as signaling a threat to use nuclear weapons if the West stood in his way. END