Putin orders drills of Russia’s nuclear forces amid ‘emerging new threats’
President Vladimir Putin of Russia has launched a massive exercise of the country’s nuclear forces featuring missile launches in a simulation of a retaliatory strike.
Speaking in a video call with army leaders, Putin said Tuesday that the drills will simulate top officials' action in using nuclear weapons. The drills include launches of nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles.
Putin said, “Taking into account growing geopolitical tensions and emerging new threats and risks, it’s important for us to have modern strategic forces that are always ready for combat.”
According to Defense Minister Andrei Belousov the drills are intended to practice “strategic offensive forces launching a massive nuclear strike in response to a nuclear strike by the enemy.”
As part of Tuesday’s exercises, the army test-fired a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile from the Plesetsk launch pad at the Kura testing range on the Kamchatka Peninsula, according to the Defense Ministry.
The Novomoskovsk and Knyaz Oleg nuclear submarines test-fired ICBMs from the Barents Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk, while nuclear-capable Tu-95 strategic bombers carried out practice launches of long-range cruise missiles.
The ministry said that all the missiles reached their designated targets.
The Russian leader once again reaffirmed that Russia’s nuclear arsenal remains a "reliable guarantor of the country's sovereignty and security."
He said that the Kremlin will continue to modernize its nuclear forces, deploying new missiles that have a higher precision, quicker launch times and increased capabilities to overcome missile defenses.
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