Ukraine conflict: Birmingham residents discuss Putin’s decision to put nuclear forces on high alert

Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia’s nuclear deterrent forces to be put on alert, amid the conflict in Ukraine.

The Russian state-run TASS news agency reported that President Putin made the decision at a meeting with defence minister Sergei Shoigu and chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia Valery Gerasimov.

It comes as at least 70 Ukrainian soldiers were killed after a Russian artillery strike on a military base on Tuesday (1 March).

Russian soldiers and some local residents were also killed in the fighting in Okhtyrka, the head of the region Dmytro Zhyvytsky said.

With the conflict continuing to escalate, BirminghamWorld spoke with residents in Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield, about how they are feeling about the situation following Putin’s decision to put Russia’s nuclear deterrent forces on alert.

Alina , who is from Romania, said: “Very scared. Everyone is very scared. We are worried things might escalate, and i’m worried for the safety of my family back in Romania, it’s a very challenging situation for everyone.”

Tim said: “I hope at the moment that it’s just a threat. I don’t think anybody with any common sense is going to start throwing nuclear weapons about, at this stage anyway.

“I think the Russians will probably at some point - if what we hear is that they’r not progressing fast enough - will throw an awful lot more at the whole situation but I think he’s grossly underestimated the Ukrainian people.”

You can watch the full interviews in the video above.

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