In an announcement that came just days after NATO completed its own annual nuclear drills, known as Steadfast Noon, in Belgium, the Netherlands, and over airspace near Denmark, the United Kingdom, and the North Sea, Putin announced that his country's military is "conducting a regular training exercise for our strategic deterrence forces."
"This exercise will involve practicing the procedures for officials in managing the use of nuclear weapons, including practical launches of ballistic and cruise missiles," Putin further said.
According to Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, the drills aim to simulate the "strategic offensive forces launching a massive nuclear strike in response to a nuclear strike by the enemy."
Putin says the drills are an important part of Russia's efforts to maintain its existence through "constant combat readiness," especially in light of "escalating geopolitical tensions and the emergence of new external threats and risks."
(Related: Russia is no longer playing around – even non-nuclear attacks from the West could warrant the use of a nuclear response by Moscow.)
Is this all leading to World War III?
As for the NATO exercise, the Western bloc announced that it involved 13 Allied countries, approximately 2,000 military personnel, and more than 60 aircraft, "including nuclear-capable jets, bombers, and fighter escorts."
"Refuelling aircraft and planes capable of reconnaissance and electronic warfare also took part in the exercise designed to ensure the strength and credibility of NATO’s nuclear deterrent," reads a NATO press release about the exercise.
These two nuclear simulation drills come as tensions between Russia and NATO are reaching a fever pitch. As part of the escalation, Putin recently ordered that changes be made to Russia's nuclear doctrine to lower the threshold for using nuclear weapons in direct response to the United States possibly using long-range NATO missiles to strike targets deep within Russian territory.
Senior officials in Moscow commented that the war in Ukraine has now reached its "most difficult phase," hence why Putin continues to hold these types of military exercises.
"This is the second such military exercise initiated by Putin in a fortnight and the West-led NATO alliance is still unsure of how to deal with the escalating situation," reports NDTV. "The rise in tensions began after western forces, led by the U.S. were planning to allow Ukraine the use of long-range cruise missiles to target territories deep inside Russia."
Putin wants the West to know that he is not going to roll over and allow NATO via Ukraine to harm Russia in the way U.S. officials have been bloviating as of late as their proposed response.
"We will work out the actions of officials to control the use of nuclear weapons with practical launches of ballistic and cruise missiles," Putin said.
"Using nuclear weapons would be an 'extremely exceptional measure,'" Putin continued, adding that "we are not going to get involved in a new arms race, but we will maintain nuclear forces at the level of necessary sufficiency."
NATO, meanwhile, is livid that Russia has reportedly started bringing in North Korean troops to help fight in Ukraine. At least 10,000 North Korean troops, according to the Pentagon, are being shipped into Ukraine, with Volodymyr Zelensky speculating that the true number is closer to 12,000 troops.
"We believe that the DPRK has sent around 10,000 soldiers in total to train in eastern Russia that will probably augment Russian forces near Ukraine over the next several weeks," Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Singh further told reporters.
More related news coverage can be found at WWIII.news.
Sources for this article include:
Please contact us for more information.
