Russia to conduct nuclear drills amid Western provocations
6 May 2024 10:59
In response to provocative statements and threats from Western countries towards Russia, we will conduct exercises soon, which scenario involves the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons, the Russian defense ministry announced on Monday.
The ministry conveyed in a Telegram message that the maneuvers would be conducted at the directive of the supreme commander of the armed forces, who is Vladimir Putin.
The announcement stated that the exercises would involve units from the Southern Military District's missile forces, the Air Force, and the Navy. It was highlighted that the exercises will focus on training for the preparation and actual deployment of non-strategic nuclear weapons.
The Kremlin announces exercises
The authorities in Moscow emphasized that the maneuvers are part of the efforts to ensure territorial integrity and state sovereignty.
According to the Reuters agency, the ministry's statement can be interpreted as an announcement of exercises designed to test the use of tactical nuclear missiles, i.e., missiles capable of carrying a nuclear payload for a distance of about 310 miles.
On April 12, the Kremlin revealed the successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile. According to the defense ministry, the missile was launched from the Kapustin Yar test site, located in the Astrakhan region in the European part of the country.
Starting in 2023, Russia plans to double the number of trial launches of its intercontinental ballistic missiles from four to eight per year, as reported by the Reuters agency in December 2022, citing the Russian strategic missile forces commander Sergei Karakayev.
