Moscow, May 9 (RHC)-- Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country is militarily prepared for anything. Putin was overseeing drills involving Russia's military forces as tensions grow with the West over the Ukraine crisis.

Putin told reporters at the Defense Ministry on Thursday that Russia’s armed forces are in high readiness following the escalating tensions over Ukraine. He noted that the military exercises "will involve all branches of the armed forces across the country."

The Russian military says a Topol intercontinental ballistic missile launched from the Plesetsk launch pad in northwestern Russia has successfully hit a designated target on the Kura testing range on the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula.

Earlier on Thursday, Russia criticized NATO’s secretary general for a statement he made denying Russian troops had withdrawn from the Ukrainian border. Russian President Putin announced that Moscow has pulled its troops from Ukraine’s border and said that NATO “must be blind” not to see it.

On Friday, Putin paid a visit to the region of Crimea as Russia celebrates the anniversary of its victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.