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Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his defense minister to commit his armed forces to a special combat alert regime.
Russian President Vladimir Putin.
REUTERS
“I order the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Staff to put the Russian army’s deterrent forces on special combat alert,” Putin said in an interview with his colleagues. military leaders broadcast on television.
“It’s understood,” agreed Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Mr Putin justified this decision by NATO’s “bellicose statements” towards Russia. He also criticized the economic sanctions taken against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, according to him “illegitimate”.
The Russian deterrent forces are a set of units whose purpose is to deter an attack against Russia, “including in the event of war involving the use of nuclear weapons”, according to the Ministry of Defense.
These forces are equipped with missiles, strategic bombers, submarines and surface ships. On the defensive side, they include an anti-missile shield, space control systems, anti-aircraft and anti-satellite defense.
Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, sending international shock waves.
(AFP)