Putin Orders Nuclear Forces to High Alert as Ukrainians Fight Off Invasion

Russian President Vladimir Putin dramatically escalated East-West tensions over his invasion of Ukraine by ordering Russian nuclear forces put on high alert Sunday in response to what he called “aggressive statements” by leading NATO powers.

The order means Putin wants Russia’s nuclear weapons prepared for increased readiness to launch, and it raises the threat that Moscow’s invasion and the West’s response could boil over into nuclear warfare.

“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 televised comments.

Amid the worrying development, the office of Ukraine’s president said a delegation would meet with Russian officials at an unspecified location and time on the Belarusian border.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office made the announcement as Russian troops continue their pursuit to obtain control of the country’s capital, Kyiv.

Zelenskyy’s office said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a Putin ally, “has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters, and missiles stationed on Belarusian territory remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation’s travel, talks and return.“

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations responded to Putin’s action while appearing on CBS.

“President Putin is continuing to escalate this war in a manner that is totally unacceptable,” Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said. “And we have to continue to condemn his actions in the most strong, strongest possible way.”

Sunday marks the fourth day of fighting, with Ukrainians offering tougher resistance than international officials and analysts had expected, and holding off the Russian forces.

“We are fighting, fighting for our country, fighting for our freedom because we have the right to do that,” President Zelenskyy said. “The past night was tough — more shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure. There is not a single facility in the country that the occupiers wouldn’t consider as admissible targets.” 

Many Kyiv residents have been seeking refuge in basements, underground parking garages and subway stations.

Citizens were warned to cover their windows with damp cloth for protection following a recent explosion at a natural gas pipeline in Kharkiv.

Meanwhile, the United Nations’ refugee agency tweeted on Sunday that 368,000 Ukrainians have fled their homes for neighboring countries, and the number is expected to steadily rise.

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