NATO will go ahead with nuclear exercises next week, despite escalating tensions between the West and Russia following Vladimir Putin’s thinly veiled threats to use nuclear weapons. Secretary-General to the military alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, said on Tuesday that the annual exercises are routine and were planned long before the Kremlin invaded Ukraine. The main part of them will be held more than 1,000 kilometres away from Russia and involve fighter jets with the capability to carry nuclear warheads, albeit, with no live bombs to be used. Less than half of the NATO member countries will take …