Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his country’s nuclear defense systems be put on higher alert, citing what he says are threats from the West amid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Western countries aren’t only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO members made aggressive statements regarding our country,” Putin said in a televised address on Sunday, The Associated Press reported.
Putin said that leaders from NATO alliance countries have in recent days made a number of “aggressive” statements to go along with recent sanctions slapped on Russia and its top banks and officials.
Russia’s nuclear weapons will be prepared for increased readiness to launch following Putin’s remarks, the AP noted.
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JUST IN: Putin orders nuclear deterrent forces put on high alert https://t.co/dpwnr6t1bG pic.twitter.com/tiyzT3C1zA
— The Hill (@thehill) February 27, 2022
Well, I predicted he might do this. Kind of surprised that he went right to this so quickly, however. https://t.co/hjjK62Xuxf
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) February 27, 2022
As counterintuitive as it may seem, I hope that we do not engage in a reciprocal raising of our alert status. There’s no real reason to do it. https://t.co/w1aEkkui0Z
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) February 27, 2022
This moment outlined as a dangerous (and, he said, unlikely but possible) scenario by @RadioFreeTom last week.https://t.co/Drb43SeENp pic.twitter.com/qV5zqrAsLL
— Edward Keenan (@thekeenanwire) February 27, 2022
What’s Putin’s #nuclear alert about? This is a pretty dangerous game he’s playing. But it’s a provocation and it’s partly aimed at a domestic audience and we shouldn’t take the bait.https://t.co/pQM00M0hIj
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) February 27, 2022
According to the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Russia may be planning a dirty bomb attack on its own territory to blame on the Ukrainians to justify a massive escalation in the war. This is not hyperbole. Putin did exactly this with apartment bombs in 1999 and blamed on Chechnya https://t.co/Y1hza5Vu0x
— Bill Browder (@Billbrowder) February 26, 2022
This was the scene when Putin ordered his nuclear alert. It tells tons about the state of isolation of the man with his finger on the button. pic.twitter.com/B2PFq2k6EB
— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) February 27, 2022
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) February 27, 2022
US ambassador not surprised by Putin's threat of nuclear deterrence https://t.co/n5znF8oMOF pic.twitter.com/ADUIuAnytD
— The Hill (@thehill) February 27, 2022
NATO chief calls Putin's nuclear threats "dangerous rhetoric" https://t.co/bSHJT0ynNA pic.twitter.com/nnL5d4fGmG
— The Hill (@thehill) February 27, 2022
Condoleezza Rice describes Putin as "delusional," "erratic" https://t.co/BPMoxJb1io pic.twitter.com/CACb5JN4Om
— The Hill (@thehill) February 27, 2022
👇 It was likely designed to get us all to panic, but US officials say they’ve seen nothing on the ground to suggest this is even happening. Either you recognize the playbook now or you never will. https://t.co/Taw0GuRZSv
— Michael Weiss 🌻 (@michaeldweiss) February 27, 2022
The people who know Putin the best — people I know in Russia — are worried about his recent nuclear statement. The people who know him the least are saying it's cheap talk.
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) February 27, 2022
Putin would be foolish to launch nukes. We have them too.
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