Ukraine-Russia war: Vladimir Putin puts nuclear forces on high alert

Amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has placed nuclear deterrent forces of Russia on high alert. 

Putin has placed Russia’s deterrence forces that include units with nuclear capabilities on high alert in response to western sanctions over Russia’s war in Ukraine. 

“Western countries aren’t only taking unfriendly economic actions against our country, but leaders of NATO countries are making aggressive statements about our country,” Russian President Vladimir Putin told Russia’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu and chief of general staff Valery Gerasimov on Sunday. 

“I order to move Russia’s deterrence forces to a special mode of combat duty,” Putin said. 

Also read: Ukraine war: Russian invading forces ‘gun down’ minor girl, parents in Kyiv

However, it is yet to be clear what “special mode of combat duty” for the nuclear deterrent forces entail.  

Putin had earlier warned the western countries not to interfere in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

He had said it could lead to “consequences they have never seen”.