Russia said it launched a massive drill of its strategic nuclear forces on Saturday, amid tensions with Ukraine. It comes as a stark reminder of the country’s nuclear might amid Western fears that Moscow might be preparing to invade Ukraine. The exercises involve multiple practice launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Footage distributed by the Defense Ministry shows cruise missiles, hypersonic cruise missiles and thermonuclear armed intercontinental ballistic missile RS 24 being launched. The Russian Defense Ministry said it planned the maneuvers some time ago to check the readiness of Russia’s military command and personnel, as well as the reliability of its nuclear and conventional weapons.
The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday’s maneuvers featured launches of ballistic missiles by the navy’s nuclear submarines from the Barents Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk.
As part of the drills, long-range bombers also fired cruise missiles, the ministry said, adding that all missiles hit their designated practice targets
It added that Russia’s early warning system successfully spotted and tracked all launches.
The Defense Ministry noted that the exercise offered a chance to test the chain of command from its main control room down to military units.
The drills are the latest in a series of Russian war games conducted amid rising tensions with the West.
Russia’s Strategic Missile Troops have kicked off large-scale military drills in Southern Siberia, nearly a month after test-firing a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that renewed a missile dispute with the US.
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