Russian President Vladimir Putin has put the country’s nuclear forces on alert.
He ordered this because of NATO’s aggressive behavior and the economic sanctions imposed by the Russian military leadership, Putin said on television on Sunday.
“I am instructing the defense minister and the chief of staff to put the Russian army’s deterrent forces on special combat readiness,” Putin said. The so-called Russian deterrent forces may also include nuclear weapons.
NATO Secretary General: Putin’s announcement shows “the seriousness of the situation”
In a first reaction, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern about Kremlin chief Putin’s decision to have the nuclear power’s deterrent weapons put on special alert. “It shows how serious the situation is and why we really have to stand together (…)” he said in a BBC interview on Sunday.
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He initially gave no information on a possible reaction by NATO to Putin’s announcement. According to information from the alliance, there are no automatisms for such a case.
NATO decisions must be made by consensus among all 30 member states. The NATO nuclear powers USA, France and Great Britain could already react.