as completely unacceptable . from the kremlin, a pointed message to the west, don t push russia. president putin summoned his military chiefs and gave them an order. from the kremlin, a pointed message to the west, don t push russia. president putin summoned his military chiefs and gave them an order. top officials of leading nato countries are making aggressive statements about our country. from the kremlin, a pointed message to the west, don t push russia. president putin summoned his military chiefs therefore i am ordering the minister of defence and the chief of the general staff to put the strategic nuclear forces on special alert. would putin really use them? he practised a week ago, overseeing exercises of russian strategic deterrence forces. typically unsubtle hints to america and nato not to stand in his way over ukraine. today s special alert, more presidential muscle flexing. across from the kremlin, muscovites gathered on the bridge to remember boris nemtsov, the putin cri
we can speak to ian kelly, former ambassador to the eastern republic of georgia and member of one of the few organisations which pretty much every european country as a member, not least russia. thank you for joining us on bbc news. i wanted to ask first of all about your response to the announcement from president putin of putting his nuclear weapons on special alert. do you regard this as further brinksmanship? first on special alert. do you regard this as further brinksmanship?- as further brinksmanship? first of all, thank as further brinksmanship? first of all. thank you as further brinksmanship? first of all, thank you for as further brinksmanship? first of all, thank you for having - as further brinksmanship? first of all, thank you for having me. - all, thank you for having me. 0bviously that is a very concerning thing when the russian president in response to aggressive statements, they are raising their nuclear preparedness. isee they are raising their nuclear preparednes
this comes after an order for moscow to its forces to advance in all directions against kyiv. there is no let up in fighting. on the streets of kharkiv, a grim warning of what is to come if the conflict doesn t stop. russian troops roll in, but the ukrainian defence forces fight on. putin takes his next move. the world stops. war in ukraine and now russia s nuclear forces on special alert. russian state tv announce our submarines alone are capable of launching more than 500 nuclear warheads guaranteed to destroy america and all of nato. so what is this, brinkmanship? something more or something less? empty threats?
turkey, all the way to china. we don t have an turkey, all the way to china. we don t have an answer turkey, all the way to china. we don t have an answer to - don t have an answer to that question don t have an answer to that question. what don t have an answer to that question. what is don t have an answer to that. question. what is increasingly don t have an answer to that - question. what is increasingly clear those question. what is increasingly clear those avenues question. what is increasingly clear those avenues are question. what is increasingly clear those avenues are increasingly- those avenues are increasingly closed those avenues are increasingly closed. ., . ., . , closed. another concern for the west is moscovfs closed. another concern for the west is moscow s military closed. another concern for the west is moscow s military doctrine - closed. another concern for the west is moscow s military doctrine allows l is moscow s military doctrine allows
translation: his nuclear forces on high alert. translation: his nuclear forces on high alert. translation: ~ , ., . , ., ., translation: western forces are not onl takin: translation: western forces are not only taking unfriendly translation: western forces are not only taking unfriendly steps translation: western forces are not only taking unfriendly steps against i only taking unfriendly steps against our country in the economic dimension, i mean the illegitimate sanctions that everyone knows about very well but the top officials of leading nato countries also make aggressive statements with regards to our country. and in truth, despite losses in the south, the russian military has gained ground, with more troops and armour waiting in reserve should peace talks fail. angus crawford, bbc news. our 0ur correspondence our correspondencejenny hill our correspondence jenny hill is our correspondencejenny hill is in moscow and sent us the latest from there on vladimir putin s instruct