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Putin shocks with nuclear activation: partner China reacts immediately and surprises with clarification

2022-03-04T11:21:04.961Z


Putin shocks with nuclear activation: partner China reacts immediately and surprises with clarification Created: 03/04/2022, 12:11 p.m By: Florian Naumann, Richard Strobl The next level of escalation has been reached in the Ukraine conflict. Russia has put its nuclear forces on alert. Vladimir Putin has initiated the next level of escalation in the Ukraine war : the country's nuclear forces ha


Putin shocks with nuclear activation: partner China reacts immediately and surprises with clarification

Created: 03/04/2022, 12:11 p.m

By: Florian Naumann, Richard Strobl

The next level of escalation has been reached in the Ukraine conflict.

Russia has put its nuclear forces on alert.

  • Vladimir Putin

    has initiated the next level of escalation in the

    Ukraine war

    : the country's nuclear forces have been put on alert.

    (see first report)

  • China

    reacts to

    Putin's nuclear weapons alert

    : Beijing urges restraint.

    (see update of February 28, 1:41 p.m.)

Update from March 2, 11:25 a.m .:

In the Ukraine war, Russian President Vladimir Putin put his country’s “deterrent forces” on “particular combat readiness” on Sunday.

On Monday, the Russian Ministry of Defense then reported completion.

Putin himself could be hiding in the Urals.

What does this mean for us?

Is a nuclear war looming?

Gustav Gressel is an Eastern Europe and military expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank headquartered in Berlin.

In an interview with

Merkur.de

, he explains what being on alert means and whether we actually have to worry

Putin shocks with nuclear activation: partner China reacts immediately and surprises with clarification

Update from February 28, 1:41 p.m .:

Now Russia’s closest partner China has also reacted to Russia’s increased alertness of deterrent weapons.

"All sides should remain calm, show restraint and avoid further escalation," the

Tagesspiegel

quoted foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin as saying on Monday.

Accordingly, China supports all efforts to ease the situation.

In addition, the speaker surprised by clarifying that China and Russia are merely "strategic partners" and not "allies".

Update from February 28, 1 p.m.:

The Russian Ministry of Defense has put the nuclear power’s deterrent weapons on increased alert.

Minister Sergei Shoigu said this to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, according to a statement from the agency.

Specifically, he named the strategic missile troops, the Northern and Pacific fleets and the long-distance aviation forces.

In an interview with

Merkur.de

, expert Gustav Gressel explained how great the danger of a nuclear escalation is after this step by Putin.

Ukraine war: Putin shocks with nuclear activation

First report from February 27th:

Moscow – In the Ukraine conflict*, Russia's President Vladimir Putin has initiated the next level of escalation.

He put the country's nuclear forces on alert.

This was announced by Putin on Russian television on Sunday (February 27).

Ukraine war before the next escalation: Putin is probably putting nuclear forces on alert

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia.

(Archive) © Alexei Nikolsky/Pool Sputnik Kremlin/AP/dpa

 "I am instructing the defense minister and the chief of staff to put the Russian army's deterrent forces on special combat readiness," Putin said during a televised meeting with senior military officials.

Putin spoke of deterrent weapons and did not explicitly mention nuclear weapons.

But these can fall below.

The reason given by the President of Russia* was the "aggressive behavior" of NATO and the economic sanctions imposed.

Putin hints at nuclear weapons - US warns of "pattern"

The White House recognized in the announcement a "pattern" by Putin to "manufacture threats".

US President Joe Biden's spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, told ABC TV on Sunday that he wanted to justify his further warlike actions.

"He's always done it that way," she explained.

"Russia has never been threatened by NATO or threatened by Ukraine," Psaki said.

"We have the skills to defend ourselves," Psaki emphasized.

The spokeswoman also stated that the United States was prepared to impose further sanctions on Russia if the conflict escalated.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was concerned about Putin's decision in an initial reaction.

"It shows how serious the situation is and why we really need to stand together," he said in a BBC interview.

The US ambassador to the UN condemned Putin's move "in the strongest terms".

Diplomat Linda Thomas-Greenfield told CBS on Sunday: "This means that Putin is escalating this war in a way that is completely unacceptable." She demanded that Putin end the war against Ukraine.

The interview was the US government's first reaction to the Russian announcement.

Stoltenberg initially gave no information on a possible reaction by NATO to Putin's announcement.

According to information from the alliance, there are no automatisms for such a case.

NATO decisions must be made by consensus among all 30 member states.

The NATO nuclear powers USA, France and Great Britain could already react.

Meanwhile, soothing words came from Germany.

Ukraine war: Putin has previously warned

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss had previously warned of Russia's nuclear arsenal that Putin could resort to the "most repulsive means" if he saw his rule coming to an end.

Putin himself had also previously warned against the activation of the Russian nuclear arsenal*.

At the same time, reports are pouring in: According to the Kremlin and Ukraine, both countries have agreed on peace negotiations on the border between Belarus and Ukraine.

The meeting on the Pripyat river near Chernobyl is said to have come about through the mediation of Belarus ruler Lukashenko.

We have summarized the background to the Ukraine conflict* for you here.

You can find all the latest news on the Ukraine conflict in our news ticker.

(rjs/dpa/AFP) *Merkur.de and kreiszeitung.de are offered by IPPEN.MEDIA

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-03-04

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