Support The Moscow Times!

Putin Oversees Routine Strategic Nuclear Deterrence Drills

President Vladimir Putin during training drills by Russia's strategic deterrence forces. kremlin.ru

President Vladimir Putin oversaw training exercises of Russia's strategic nuclear deterrence forces on Wednesday, the Kremlin said. 

State television aired footage of Putin overseeing the drills in the Barents Sea in the Arctic and the Kamchatka peninsula in the Far East from a control room.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told Putin in televised remarks that the drills simulated “a massive nuclear strike in response to an enemy nuclear attack.” 

"Under the leadership of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Vladimir Putin, a training session was held with ground, sea and air strategic deterrence forces, during which practical launches of ballistic and cruise missiles took place," the Kremlin said in a statement. 

The drills, which take place annually, are the second such exercise this year, with the previous drills taking place five days before Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.

The United States said Tuesday that Moscow had informed it of the routine drills in advance.

According to the state-run RIA Novosti news agency, two types of nuclear missiles — the Yars intercontinental ballistic missile and the Sineva ballistic missile —  were fired.

The exercises also involved Tu-95 long-rage aircraft.

“The tasks envisaged during the training of strategic deterrence forces have been completed in full, all missiles have reached their targets,” RIA Novosti quoted the Kremlin as saying. 

Putin also on Wednesday reiterated Moscow’s widely criticized claims that Ukraine is preparing a provocation against Russia using a "dirty bomb." 

“The desire to get nuclear weapons has been stated publicly by the authorities in Kiyv,” Putin said at a meeting with the heads of special services of CIS countries. “It is also known about the plans to use the so-called ‘dirty bomb’ as a provocation.”

Shoigu has discussed the accusation in phone calls with his counterparts in France, the U.K., the U.S., China and India in the past several days.

Ukraine and its Western allies have dismissed the claim, warning that Russia could be preparing to detonate a "dirty bomb" — a conventional munition laced with radioactive material — on occupied Ukrainian lands and create a pretext to retaliate against Kyiv.

AFP contributed reporting.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more