The United States has deployed around 200 nuclear bombs across Europe, Russia says, warning that the increased military operations of NATO, led by the US, is deteriorating the military-political situation in the world.

“About 200 US nuclear bombs are currently deployed in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and Turkey. This nuclear ordnance is also subject to a renewal program,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday, Sputnik news agency reported.

The Russian minister further blasted the US and NATO for their gradual expansion of military activity, saying the approach is mainly to blame for the deteriorating military-political situation in the world.

“We also observe the gradual expansion of the NATO bloc,” he said, adding that during a relatively short time NATO has increased by twofold its members.

Shoigu said that Russia has also greatly improved the capabilities of its strategic nuclear forces in a countermeasure to US and NATO’s rising nuclear deployment, adding that the Russian nuclear triad is now outfitted with 55 percent of modern hardware.

Russia does not look favorably upon the deployment of nuclear weapons in NATO states near its borders. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in June that if NATO threatens Russia, Moscow will respond to the threat accordingly.

“If someone threatens our territories, it means that we will have to aim our armed forces accordingly at the territories from where the threat is coming. How else could it be? It is NATO that approaching our borders, it’s not like we are moving anywhere,” he said.