Vladimir Putin puts nuclear 'deterrence forces' on high alert; what it means and a look at Russia's nuclear arsenal

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has escalated even further with Vladimir Putin ordering his defence chiefs to put the country’s nuclear “deterrence forces” on high alert. International tensions are already soaring over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Putin’s order has caused further alarm. “I order the defence minister and the chief of the general staff of the Russian armed forces to put the deterrence forces of the Russian army into a special mode of combat service,” Putin was quoted as saying in an AFP report.

BREAKING: Vladimir Putin orders Russia’s ‘deterrence’ ie, nuclear forces, put on a ‘special regime of duty.’ ‘You see western counties take unfriendly steps towards us not only in the economic sphere…leading NATO countries allow & are aggressive towards our country,’ Putin said. pic.twitter.com/z89ft6Cmbo

— Emma Burrows (@EJ_Burrows) February 27, 2022

“You see that Western countries are not only unfriendly to our country in the economic sphere – I mean illegitimate sanctions,” he added, in a televised address. “Senior officials of leading NATO countries also allow aggressive statements against our country.” Defence Minister Shoigu replied: “Affirmative.” But, what does all this mean? Does it mean that Putin is ordering a nuclear war? What is nuclear deterrence and how many countries have nuclear weapons around the world? What is a nuclear deterrent? Simply put, a nuclear deterrent is a nuclear weapon — or nuclear weapons — that acts as a reminder of the consequences a country can face if they choose to attack another country or state. The ideology dates back to the Cold War and was used to prevent any nuclear aggression. As the US and then-Soviet Union each raced toward the creation and building of nuclear weapons, the US adopted a strategy of nuclear deterrence, meaning if the Soviet Union or any nation attempted to attack, the US would respond swiftly and launch an even bigger attack. The concept of nuclear deterrence follows the rationale of the ‘first user’ principle. States reserve the right to use nuclear weapons in self-defence against an armed attack threatening their vital security interests. News agency Associated Press quoted Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, as saying that Vladimir Putin’s order to put his nuclear forces on higher alert was regrettable but not a complete surprise given his previous implied threats against any nation that tried to stop him in Ukraine. “Inserting nuclear weapons into the Ukraine war equation at this point is extremely dangerous, and the United States, President Biden, and NATO must act with extreme restraint” and not respond in kind, Kimball said. “This is a very dangerous moment in this crisis, and we need to urge our leaders to walk back from the nuclear brink.” Also read: Ukraine’s nuclear regret: A look back at when and why Kyiv gave up its arsenal Countries holding nuclear arsenal Nuclear weapons are known to be possessed by nine countries. Russia has the most, at 6,257, of which 1,458 are active (already deployed), 3,039 are available {can be deployed if needed} and 1,760 are retired {out of use and awaiting dismantlement}. The United States follows with 5,550 nuclear weapons in total, of which 1,389 are active, 2,361 are available, and 1,800 are retired. China has 350 active nuclear weapons, France has 290, and the UK has 225. Pakistan, India, and Israel have 165, 156, and 90 available nuclear weapons respectively. North Korea is currently believed to have around 40 to 50 nuclear weapons. Also read: From ground troops to fighter aircraft, a look at military capabilities of Russia and Ukraine How the West has responded? The United States condemned Russian president Vladimir Putin’s nuclear forces alert. US officials said Putin’s stunning announcement, four days after his powerful military launched an assault on Ukraine, was dangerously escalatory and part of a pattern of fabricating excuses to justify aggression. “This is a pattern that we’ve seen from President Putin through the course of this conflict, which is manufacturing threats that don’t exist in order to justify further aggression,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on ABC. Germany too responded to Putin’s nuclear call, saying it “crosses another line” and shows his offensive in Ukraine is not going to plan. “In his {Putin’s} megalomania, the rapid invasion of Ukraine has been halted by Ukraine’s brave and determined actions,” Germany’s defence minister Christine Lambrecht told public broadcaster ZDF. “We would be well advised to take Putin and his declarations very seriously and not to underestimate him,” said Lambrecht, calling on the West to remain “very vigilant”. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also denounced it as “dangerous” and “irresponsible”. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.