Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered this Monday (05/06/2024) to carry out nuclear exercises “in the near future”, in response to statements by leaders of Western powers about the possibility of sending soldiers to Ukraine.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced in a statement on Telegram the organization of exercises “to train in the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons.”
He added that the measure was taken “on the instructions of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,” who is Putin.
The training is aimed at “maintaining the readiness” of the army, after “provocative statements and threats” by some Western leaders against Russia, the ministry said.
The exercises will include aviation, navy and forces from the Southern Military District, which is based very close to Ukraine and covers the Ukrainian regions whose annexation Moscow claims.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Putin has put on the table the possibility of resorting to nuclear weapons. In October 2023, Russia announced that Putin supervised ballistic missile launches during military exercises aimed at simulating a “massive nuclear attack” by Moscow.
rr (afp/dpa/reuters)
