New Delhi, Feb 28 (IANS) Russian ground units, equipped with intercontinental ballistic missiles as well as vessels from the Northern and Pacific Fleets, have been placed on high combat alert, the Russian Defence Ministry confirmed on Monday.
The Russian Navy includes submarines armed with nuclear missiles, RT reported.
The ministry said the move was made in accordance with the order issued by President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, RT reported.
Putin cited "illegitimate sanctions" against Russia and "aggressive statements" by Western officials, without elaborating.
Many countries, including the US, the UK and EU member states, have imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia in response to its military operation in Ukraine.
Earlier, Putin had placed the country's nuclear deterrent forces on "special" alert on Sunday, RT reported.
The move was announced during Putin's meeting with Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov.
"Western countries are not only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic area. I'm speaking about the illegitimate sanctions that everyone is well aware of. However, the top officials of the leading NATO countries also make aggressive statements against our country as well," Putin stated.
The move comes in response to 'hostile' rhetoric by top NATO officials, Putin said, RT reported.
This is for the first time that the Walled City of Lahore Authority has planned to give a tour of religious places, Gurudwaras and other monuments of the Sikh community in Pakistan to the tourists.
Even before its inauguration, the Kartarpur Corridor has got mired in a dispute with Pakistan unrelenting on making the pilgrimage to one of the holiest Sikh shrines free of any charges.
A group of British Sikhs has appealed to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) leader Fazal-ur Rahman to stop his proposed march and October 31 sit in at Islamabad.
Salahuddin Ayubi, who was mentally challenged, died in police custody last month due to alleged torture after his arrest on charges of stealing money from an ATM. His death sparked outrage across the country.
The three-time former prime minister and supreme leader of the PML-N was shifted to the Services Hospital Lahore late on Monday night after his condition deteriorated.
