US calls Putin's statement on putting nuclear deterrent forces on alert "completely unacceptable"

The US calls Putin's statement on putting nuclear deterrent forces on alert "completely unacceptable".

As US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in an interview with CBS News, this means that President Putin continues to escalate the war in a completely unacceptable way.

"We have to continue to stem his actions in the strongest possible way," she said.

For information, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently ordered the Russian military to put nuclear deterrent forces on "special alert", which is the highest level of alert for Russia's strategic missile forces.

Speaking to senior military officials, including Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, he said Western countries had taken "unfriendly actions" against Russia and imposed "illegitimate sanctions".