Europe trembles with the fear of an ever-expanding conflict on the continent, one that would involve the most devastating weapons in the arsenal. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the start of military exercises with tactical nuclear weapons. What plan does the Kremlin have now?
Russia to conduct military exercises with tactical nuclear weapons
Russia announced on Monday that it will conduct a military exercise, which will include simulations for the use of tactical nuclear weapons. This approach comes in the context of provocative threats from the West, the Ministry of Defense of Russia informed.
The military exercise was initiated by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. It will assess the level of readiness of non-strategic nuclear forces to perform various combat missions. The military exercises will involve training for the preparation and deployment of non-strategic nuclear weapons.
Missile units of the Southern Military District and naval forces will participate in these exercises. Within the military exercise, various actions aimed at training the aspects related to the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons will be carried out.
The purpose of the military exercise is to ensure Russia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty in response to provocative statements and threats by Western officials against Russia.
Russia threatens nuclear weapons
Two days ago, Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, issued a stark warning. He said Russia would react if Ukraine used UK-supplied weapons against Russian territory.
His statement comes in the context of the permission granted by the British Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, for the use of British weaponry by Ukraine against targets in Russia. She accused the West of waging an underground conflict against Russia through Ukrainian soldiers.
“Here we see a very dangerous tendency of escalating tension in official statements. This is a cause for concern for us. It is the first time that a Western politician admits with such frankness what has long been a well-known secret for most countries of the world: that the West is waging a hidden war against Russia through the hands of the Ukrainians.
How irresponsible and insensitive do you have to be not to realize what such statements lead to, especially regarding countries with nuclear weapons?”, she said during a press briefing.
David Cameron’s comments put Britain in a firmer position towards Russia – at least in public – than the US, which says any weaponry supplied to Ukraine should be used solely within Ukraine’s recognized international borders and not against targets from Russia.
Ukraine has already admitted to using its own drones and other weapons to attack Russian targets, such as oil refineries or rail infrastructure.
