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.
The documents were leaked to The New York Times by a member of the Chinese political establishment in an effort to hold President Xi accountable for the mass detentions.
A US-based Indian professional, whose name was listed in the Green Card backlog, died suddenly and as a result his newly-wedded wife has been rendered out of status resulting in her inevitable return to India, a media report said.
An Indian-origin owner of a local technical training school in San Diego pleaded guilty to defrauding the US Department of Veterans Affairs out of more than US$ 29 million in education benefits meant for veterans.
An Indian-American student and anti-bullying activist who was crowned Miss World America Washington, was on a quest to raise $1 million for drug addiction and suicide prevention awareness.
