President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia's military to place its deterrence forces, which include nuclear weapons, on a 'special regime of combat duty'. The move comes amid widespread condemnation of his invasion of Ukraine and what he described as 'aggressive statements' by Western powers.
Mr Putin had previously warned that 'whoever tries to hinder us' in Ukraine would face consequences 'you have never seen in your history', a remark widely interpreted as a veiled nuclear threat. Sunday's order sharpens that warning, though it does not mean Russia intends to use the weapons immediately.
The United States condemned the decision as an 'unacceptable escalation'. The US ambassador to the UN said the order shows Mr Putin is escalating the conflict, while the White House stressed that Russia was not under threat from Nato. UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the BBC that the heightened alert was an attempt by the Kremlin to distract from problems on the ground in Ukraine and to remind the world of its nuclear deterrent.
Mr Wallace added that Mr Putin knows any nuclear use would invite a proportional response from the West. Military analysts suggest that moving to high alert makes it easier to launch weapons more quickly, but it is primarily a signal to deter Nato support for Ukraine by creating ambiguity over how far Russia is willing to go.
Following the announcement, the EU imposed unprecedented sanctions on Russia. Meanwhile, Belarus said a referendum had approved constitutional changes allowing Russian forces and nuclear weapons to be stationed there. Western powers accuse Belarus of facilitating the invasion, and US officials said Belarus is expected to send troops into Ukraine as soon as Monday.
