Putin: Russia Was Ready To Put Nuclear Forces on Alert over Crimea Crisis

Russia was ready to put nuclear forces on alert over Crimea, Putin says (CNN)

Russia was ready to put its nuclear forces on alert over the crisis in Crimea last year, such was the threat to Russian people there, President Vladimir Putin said in a documentary that aired on state TV on Sunday night.

Asked if Russia was prepared to bring its nuclear weapons into play, Putin said: "We were ready to do it. I talked with colleagues and told them that this (Crimea), is our historic territory, Russian people live there, they are in danger, we cannot leave them.