US sees a pattern of fabricated threats against Russia and has placed nuclear deterrent forces on ‘special’ alert

            According to local media, the White House said on Sunday (local time) that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to place the country’s nuclear deterrent forces on “special” alert demonstrates the Kremlin’s pattern of unjustifiable escalation and “fabricated threats”.

“This is really a pattern that we’ve seen from President Putin throughout the course of this conflict, which is manufacturing threats that don’t exist in order to justify further aggression — and the global community and the American people should look at it through that prism”, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on ABC’s “This Week” with George Stephanopoulos.

Another senior administration source called Putin’s decision “completely needless”, adding that Putin was never under danger from Ukraine or NATO.

“The only reason his soldiers pose a threat today is since they invaded a sovereign country without nuclear weapons”, he was reported as saying by the media site.

This comes after Putin put Russia’s nuclear deterrent forces on “special” alert on Sunday, amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

“Western nations are not just pursuing unfavourable economic steps against our country… I’m referring to the unlawful sanctions that everyone is fully aware of”.

“However, prominent officials from the key NATO nations also make harsh remarks against our country”, he was cited as saying by RT News.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has agreed to meet with a Russian team in Belarus, and Russians are on their way to the location, according to the chairman of the Russian mission, Vladimir Medinsky, on Sunday.