On the brink of WWIII: Putin orders nuclear deterrence forces on high alert

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the transfer of deterrence forces to a special combat duty regime.

Source: Statement by Putin during a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov

Quote: "I order the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff to transfer the deterrent forces of the Russian army to a special regime of combat duty."

Details: Putin justified this decision with allegations of aggressive statements by NATO officials.

"Western countries are not only unfriendly to our country on an economic level, that is, regarding illegitimate sanctions, but also senior officials of leading NATO countries have issued aggressive statements against our country," he said.

Reference: According to the website of the Russian Defense Ministry, the strategic deterrence force "is designed to deter aggression against Russia and its allies, as well as defeat and conquer the aggressor, including in a war with nuclear weapons."

The SSS includes the Strategic Offensive Force (SNA) and the Strategic Defense Force (SOS).

The SNA is equipped with intercontinental missile and aviation systems, high-precision long-range weapons of strategic nuclear forces, which include strategic missile forces. The SNA also includes strategic non-nuclear forces as dual-use forces - units of strategic and long-range bombers of the Air Force, as well as submarines, surface ships and naval missiles with conventional high-precision long-range weapons.

The SOS is based on the combat forces and Air and Space Defence Forces, which include a missile attack warning system, a space control system, anti-missile defence and anti-space defence, and air defence.