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.
Two Indian-origin persons have been named by American magazine Fortune in its annual list of 40 most influential and inspiring young people in business under the age of 40.
The US has added 28 Chinese entities to an export blacklist, citing their role in Beijing's repression of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang, just days before high-level trade talks were slated to resume in Washington.
Whitney Cox, an Associate Professor in the Department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations at The University of Chicago, modestly says he hasn't "mastered anything" and "there will always be more things to learn".
Ahead of the FATF plenary meeting, the APG, in its detailed report released on Sunday, shows how Islamabad's financial institutions have been largely slack in implementing the measures in curbing terrorist financing/money laundering.
