Russia prepares non-strategic nuclear exercise in response to Western ‘provocations’
Planned military exercise aims to ‘increase readiness of non-strategic nuclear forces to carry out combat missions,’ says Russian Defense Ministry
Russia, possessing the world’s largest arsenal of nuclear weapons, announced Monday its decision to conduct a military exercise incorporating tactical nuclear weapons practice.
This move comes in response to what the Russian Defense Ministry perceives as provocative rhetoric from Western officials, including discussions of potential troop deployments to Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov referenced remarks made by French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the possibility of sending soldiers to Ukraine, along with statements from British and U.S. Senate representatives.
Peskov also mentioned ongoing verifications by military and intelligence services regarding reports of France’s foreign legion deployment in Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin orders military exercises
According to the defense ministry, the exercise, personally ordered by President Vladimir Putin, aims to “increase the readiness of non-strategic nuclear forces to carry out combat missions.”
The drills will involve preparations and deployments for the utilization of non-strategic nuclear weapons, with participation from missile formations in the Southern Military District and naval forces.
The ministry emphasized that the exercise is intended to bolster Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, particularly “in response to provocative statements and threats by individual Western officials against the Russian Federation.”
Ukraine conflict is 2nd Cuban Missile Crisis
This defensive stance is framed within the context of Russia’s ongoing tensions with the West, exacerbated by Putin’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which has strained relations to levels not seen since the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Putin portrays the conflict as a struggle against Western encroachment, alleging that the West has sought to control Ukraine while expanding NATO eastward.
Conversely, the West and Ukraine characterize the conflict as resisting Russian imperialism, aiming to ensure Ukrainian independence and sovereignty.
