Russia has abandoned a long-held nuclear "freeze" after Donald Trump deployed submarines near Vladimir Putin's coasts. Moscow has said it no longer considers itself bound by a self-imposed ban on the deployment of missiles - and is poised to bring short- and intermediate-range nuclear weapons into action.

President Donald Trump has ordered the repositioning of two U.S. nuclear submarines. Friday's decision comes after what he calls "highly provocative statements" by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Rolf Mützenich, former leader of the SPD parliamentary group in Germany's Bundestag, has criticised a "nuclear exchange" between the United States and Russia, calling it irresponsible. Source: German newspaper Der Spiegel,