Call it a warning to Ukraine – and its allies.
On Tuesday, Russia said it has started exercises involving tactical nuclear weapons. The Defense Ministry announced the drills a little more than two weeks ago, in the wake of what it called “provocative statements and threats of certain Western officials regarding the Russian Federation.”
That was a reference to comments by France’s President Emanuel Macron regarding troops to Ukraine. Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Ukrainian forces will be able to use British long-range weapons to hit targets inside Russia.
The Russian drills are being held in the country’s Southern Military District, which borders Ukraine. It also includes part of Ukraine that Russia took over in the early stages of the war.
Video showed the Russian mobile Iskander missile system being placed in position for firing, and troops were practicing with “special ammunition” – nuclear warheads – for the missiles. The Iskander can be used with either conventional or nuclear weapons.
Moscow says that aviation units were training to place special warheads on Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, which are air-launched.
A former Soviet and Russian arms control official, Nikolai Sokov, told Reuters, “The exercises are, obviously, a signal in response to discussion of NATO countries’ troops in Ukraine. The most important features are advance announcement and visibility.”
Tactical nuclear weapons are meant to be used on the battlefield, rather than being launched from far away. They are less destructive than strategic weapons, which can take out large cities.
