Alabama’s congressional delegation is responding with tough talk after Russian president Vladimir Putin boasted in a speech last week about the ability of his country’s nuclear weapons to render NATO defense systems “completely useless.”

“Vladimir Putin touting Russia’s advanced nuclear capabilities is yet another example of the country’s very real threat to our national security,” Rep. Martha Roby (R-Montgomery) told Yellowhammer News.

“I have consistently supported sanctions against Russia as well as increased funding to rebuild our military and missile defense systems, “Roby said. “We must continue to make it abundantly clear that we will not tolerate aggressive actions towards the United States and our allies.”

Putin, who is up for reelection on March 18, bragged before the crowd about Russian nuclear supremacy and used a graphic that apparently portrayed a nuclear missile striking Florida.

“Russia still has the greatest nuclear potential in the world, but nobody listened to us,” Putin said in the speech. “Listen now.”

“It has been clear for years now that Russia and their military pose a direct threat to the United States and our interests,” Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) told Yellowhammer. “The recent comments from Putin just further demonstrate their continued efforts to increase their military capabilities, sow discord, and spread their influence around the globe.”

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) said in a statement, “Putin’s disclosure of their development of a nuclear-armed, nuclear-powered cruise missile is just the latest in a string of new and horrific Russian weapons designed to intimidate and coerce the U.S. and our allies. This only makes it clearer that President Trump’s 2018 Nuclear Posture Review is correct: we must take steps to bolster the U.S. nuclear deterrent to deter adversaries and reassure allies. We cannot stand idly by and do nothing in the face of these barbaric weapons and threats. In Congress we must act to support President Trump’s budget request for nuclear modernization. We can’t be dissuaded by nuclear disarmament advocates who would rather us unilaterally disarm while also dismantling our missile defenses.”

Last month, Gen. Lori Robinson, who is commanding general of U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, answered questions from Congress about the Russian cruise missile threat in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

In that hearing, Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) asked Robinson if she “…[has] confidence in the ability of the GMD System to defend the United States from a North Korean ballistic missile attack today?” according to a press release from Fischer’s office.

Robinson responded she is “100 percent confident in my ability to defend the United States of America.”

When asked if actions taken by Congress and the president to “expand the system’s capacity and improve discrimination” would help NORTHCOM defend the United States, Robinson responded, “I would tell you I appreciate the above threshold reprogramming for the capacity that we gave. I think that is helpful as we look at adding on to that the redesign kill vehicle, in addition to continued work which we need to do with discriminating radars. Between all of those three things, I think that we continue to outpace everybody and it gives me more and more confidence, continued confidence, in our ability to defend the United States.”