(Dan Tri) – Ukraine and the US simultaneously spoke out after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the country’s military to conduct tactical nuclear exercises to send a deterrent message to the West.

A test launch of a Russian intercontinental missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads in 2022 (Photo: Getty).

`So far, we do not see anything new, except for the effect of disinformation and statements. Special agencies of Ukraine and the whole free world are collecting all the necessary data

On the US side, Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder called Russia’s statement about the tactical nuclear exercise plan `irresponsible`.

Mr. Ryder also emphasized that to date, the US has not detected any changes in the arrangement of Russia’s nuclear forces.

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced yesterday that it will hold military exercises, including practicing the use of tactical nuclear weapons.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the exercise will include practice preparing and deploying the use of tactical nuclear weapons.

Moscow did not specify the duration of the exercise, only saying that this activity will take place `in the near future`.

The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that the upcoming tactical nuclear exercises are a response to `aggressive` actions and statements by the US and its Western allies.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said yesterday that Moscow’s planned exercise is a response to recent statements by French, British and American officials about possibly sending troops to Ukraine.

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev emphasized that the US, UK, France and other Western countries should see Russia’s military exercises as a reminder of where the escalation of the Ukraine conflict could take them.

Mr. Medvedev mentioned recent Western discussions about the possibility of deploying NATO troops to Ukraine, as well as encouraging Kiev to use aid weapons to attack Russian territory.

`The West sending troops to Ukraine (if it happens) will mean they directly participate in the war. We will be forced to respond,` Mr. Medvedev warned.

He said that the discussion of deploying troops in Ukraine by some Western leaders is just a `calculation to score political points`.

Russia and the United States are currently the countries possessing the world’s largest nuclear arsenals, holding more than 10,600 nuclear warheads out of a total of more than 12,000 warheads globally.