Putin Oversees Drills Of Nuclear Deterrence Forces As War Rages In Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday monitored the training of Moscow’s strategic deterrence forces, troops responsible for responding to threats of nuclear war, the Kremlin said.

In a statement, the Kremlin said, “Under the leadership of… 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”.

State television showed Putin overseeing the drills from a control room. The drills included launching test missiles from the Kamchatka peninsula in the Russian Far East and from the waters of the Barents Sea in the Arctic.

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The exercises also involved Tu-95 long-rage aircrafts, the statement said. “The tasks envisaged during the training of the strategic deterrence forces were completed in full, all missiles reached their targets,” the Kremlin said.

Russian “strategic” forces are meant to respond to nuclear threats. They are equipped with intercontinental ballistic missiles as well as long-range strategic bombers, submarines, surface ships and naval aviation.

The drills come amid Russia’s continued offensive in Ukraine and after Moscow repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons.