Putin orders nuclear forces on high alert amid Ukraine war

Ukraine War: Russia has the world’s second largest arsenal of nuclear weapons.

Moscow:

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday ordered his defense chiefs to put the country’s nuclear “deterrence forces” on high alert and accused the West of taking “uncivilized” measures against his country.

International tensions are already rising over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Putin’s order will sound more alarm.

Moscow has the world’s second largest arsenal of nuclear weapons and a large stockpile of ballistic missiles that form the backbone of the country’s resistance forces.

“I order the Defense Minister and the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces to put the resistance forces of the Russian army into a special mode of combat service,” Putin said.

“You see that Western countries are unfriendly to our country not only in the economic sphere – I mean illegitimate sanctions,” he said in a televised address.

“Senior officials of leading NATO countries are also allowed to make offensive statements against our country.”

Defense Minister Shoigu replied: “Positively.”

The Russian president ordered an invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, triggering a worldwide shock.

Russian ground forces have pressed into Ukraine from the north, east and south, but have faced fierce resistance from Ukrainian troops, the intensity of which has taken Moscow by surprise, according to Western sources.

Ukrainian officials claimed dozens had surrendered, describing some Russian soldiers as demoralized and exhausted.

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