President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces put on high alert it has been reported.
The move comes in response to what he called “aggressive statements” by leading NATO powers.
This means Putin has ordered Russia’s nuclear weapons for increased readiness to launch if needed, raising the threat that the tensions could result in nuclear war.
Speaking on TV in Russia, Putin said: “As you can see, not only do Western countries take unfriendly measures against our country in the economic dimension – I mean the illegal sanctions that everyone knows about very well – but also the top officials of leading NATO countries allow themselves to make aggressive statements with regards to our country.”
