Threat to the West

Russia begins its nuclear weapons exercise now

Russia flexes its military muscles with its nuclear forces (archive image).

(Bild: AFP)

Russia is currently beginning the announced exercise of its nuclear forces right on the border with Ukraine. According to Moscow, this is a "response to provocative statements by certain Western representatives".

The "readiness" of "non-strategic nuclear weapons" is being tested in order to guarantee the "territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Russian state".

Lukashenko also gets involved
Putin himself ordered the exercises with soldiers near Ukraine at the beginning of May. His Belarusian dictator friend Alexander Lukashenko announced shortly afterwards that his country wanted to take part in the exercise.

The Russian Ministry of Defense emphasized in a statement at the time that the exercises were intended to "increase the readiness of the Russian non-strategic nuclear forces to carry out combat missions".

Video shows deployment of Yars missile
Just last week, the Russian Ministry of Defense published a video showing the deployment of a Yars nuclear missile. The Russians wrote: "As part of the planned combat exercises, the Yars missile systems of the Yoshkar-Ola missile formation are practising maneuvering on combat patrol routes."

Putin has repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. This probably serves primarily as a deterrent to prevent Western states from supporting Kiev.