Urgent.. Putin orders to put nuclear deterrent forces on alert

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday ordered the Russian Defense Ministry to put Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on special combat alert.

The Russian President's orders came during his meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, Russia Today Channel announced.

Putin stressed that this step comes in response to Western officials, who "not only took aggressive economic steps, but their NATO official made aggressive statements against Russia."

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