Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a new drill, stating that nuclear forces should be kept ready. The Russian leader said, “Today we are holding another drill of our strategic deterrent forces.” Shortly after Putin’s statements, Russia launched ballistic and cruise missiles.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that a new nuclear training drill would be held, emphasizing that Russia should keep its nuclear forces ready. The Russian leader said that Moscow should get its nuclear forces ready for use, and conveyed that high-level officials would review control of nuclear ballistic and cruise missile launches. “Today we are conducting another exercise of strategic deterrence forces,” Putin was seen saying in a video clip released by the Kremlin. “We will work on the authorities’ actions to control the use of nuclear weapons through practical launches of ballistic and cruise missiles,” Putin also said. The Russian leader stressed that Russia would not take part in any arms race but that Moscow must keep its nuclear forces ready for use.
“ALL GOALS REACHED”
According to the Interfax news agency, Russia launched ballistic and cruise missiles as part of the nuclear drills shortly after Putin’s statements.
According to RIA, Moscow reported that all goals of the drills had been achieved. TASS news agency quoted Russian Defense Minister Andret Belusov as saying, “The forces conducted a mass nuclear strike test in response to the enemy attack.”
The Kremlin, however, noted that the nuclear exercise was “ordinary.”
