Russia Threatens NATO

Speaking to top generals on Tuesday, Nov. 20, President Putin warned that Moscow would not remain indifferent to NATO's recent activities on its borders.

"In violation of previous agreements, certain member countries in the NATO alliance are increasing their military resources next to our borders," he said in an obvious reference to US plans to set up missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic.

"Of course, we cannot allow ourselves to remain indifferent to this obvious muscle-flexing," he added and ordered military officials to raise the combat readiness of the country's nuclear forces as a response.

The speech, which came less than two weeks before the Dec. 2 parliamentary elections and was broadcast on state television, reflects Putin's increasingly assertive posture amid the growing tensions between Russia and the West.

More than just angry rhetoric?

The Kremlin leader, who earlier this year threatened to target nuclear missiles at Europe, said he wanted Russia's nuclear arsenal put on a higher level of readiness.

"One of the most important tasks remains raising the combat readiness of the strategic nuclear forces. They should be ready to deliver a quick and adequate reply to any aggressor," Russian news agency Interfax quoted Putin as saying.

Russia would also consider pulling out of a key arms control accord with NATO countries, if the alliance continued to push forward with its military activities in eastern Europe.

Signed by Western and former Warsaw Pact states in 1990, the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty limits the deployment of tanks, aircraft and other heavy military weaponry. The accord was revised in 1999 to take into account former Soviet satellites joining NATO.

New version of treaty not ratified

However, the Western alliance has refused to ratify the new version until Moscow pulls its remaining troops out of Georgia and Moldova. Russia has said it cannot adhere to the CFE rules until members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization approve them.

"We won't observe any obligations unilaterally," Putin said. "Our partners did not ratify the treaty and some did not even sign it," he added.

Earlier in the year, Putin threatened to suspend adherence to the CFE following a heated row over US plans for the anti-missile defense shield in eastern Europe. Although Washington has said the initiative is designed to guard against attacks from "rogue states," Moscow views it as an attempt by the US to expand its military influence into Russia's backyard.

Putin also pointed out that Russian proposals to install a single missile defense system under joint control have received no response from the West.