The Russian attack on Ukraine raises the threat of a nuclear confrontation. Now Putin is putting his nuclear weapons on alert.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the nuclear power’s deterrent weapons to be put on special alert. Putin ordered this on Sunday in a video distributed by the Kremlin.
He spoke of deterrent weapons and did not explicitly mention nuclear weapons. “The top figures of the leading NATO countries allow aggressive statements against our country, so I order the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff to put the forces of deterrence of the Russian army into a special regime of alert.”
Putin also said: «You see that Western countries are not only taking unfriendly actions against our country. In the economic sphere – I mean the illegitimate sanctions that everyone is well aware of.” The EU and US had previously imposed unprecedented sanctions on Russia.
One of the «most powerful nuclear powers in the world»
In his statement on the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine last Thursday, Putin warned against engaging in aggression against Russia. He threatened the harshest consequences and emphasized that Russia is now one of “the most powerful nuclear powers in the world”. Putin also held a large-scale exercise by the nuclear forces on February 19. Weapons without nuclear warheads were used.
After Putin’s speech, the Stockholm peace research institute Sipri announced that it did not expect the Ukraine war to lead to the use of nuclear weapons. “I don’t think nuclear war is a likely consequence of this crisis,” said Sipri Director Dan Smith of the German Press Agency in Scandinavia. “If nuclear weapons exist, then unfortunately there is always this small possibility. And that would be catastrophic.”
NATO Secretary General concerned
In a first reaction, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern about Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin’s decision to have the nuclear power’s deterrent weapons put on special alert. “It shows how serious the situation is and why we really have to stand together (…),” he said in a BBC interview on Sunday.
He initially gave no information on a possible reaction by NATO to Putin’s announcement. According to information from the alliance, there are no automatisms for such a case. NATO decisions must be made by consensus among all 30 member states. The NATO nuclear powers USA, France and Great Britain could already react.
Source: Stern
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
