Russia announced on Monday its intention to conduct military exercises involving the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons. Moscow cited alleged threats from France, Britain, and the United States as the reason behind this decision.
Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has consistently raised concerns about the heightened nuclear risks. Despite assertions from U.S. officials that they haven’t observed any changes in Russia’s nuclear posture, they acknowledge the need to take Russia’s warnings seriously.
Russia accuses the United States and its European allies of escalating tensions by providing substantial military support to Ukraine, including weaponry being used against Russian territory.
According to Russia’s defense ministry, President Vladimir Putin has ordered these military drills, which will include practice sessions for preparing and deploying non-strategic nuclear weapons.
The exercises will involve missile forces in the Southern Military District, as well as aviation and navy units. The stated aim of the drills is to safeguard Russia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty in response to what it perceives as provocative statements and threats from certain Western officials.
