Putin oversees Russian military drill intended to simulate ‘huge nuclear strike’

Putin has previously threatened Russia will use ‘all means available’ in a bid to win its war against Ukraine
ES composite
Lydia Chantler-Hicks26 October 2022

Vladimir Putin has overseen a military drill intended to simulate a “huge nuclear strike” - increasing fears of an escalation in Russia’s war with Ukraine.

Footage released by the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Wednesday reportedly show Russian soldiers launching a nuclear-capable ‘Yars’ ballistic missile.

A second piece of footage allegedly shows a Tu-95ms long-range strategic missile carrier carrying out an exercise mission, while a third is said to show a Russian submarine firing a Sineva liquid-fuelled ballistic missile.

The images were accompanied by a statement from the Russian MoD, saying they show exercises carried out “during the training of the strategic deterrence forces”.

Russian strategic nuclear forces exercises
via REUTERS

Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin that the exercise was intended to simulate a “massive nuclear strike” launched in retaliation for a nuclear attack on Russia.

The Biden administration in the US said it received advance notice of the annual drills.

Nato is also carrying out its own long-planned annual nuclear exercises in north-western Europe.

The images come after the Russian president threatened Russia would use “all means available to us” and “various weapons of destruction” in its bid to defeat Ukraine.

The Tu-95ms strategic bomber is capable of carrying nuclear missiles, while ‘Yars’ missiles and Sineva ballistic missiles are both nuclear-capable. The Yars is typically a thermonuclear armed intercontinental ballistic missile and the Sineva is a Russian liquid-fuelled submarine-launched ballistic missile.

Wednesday marks the 245th day of Russia’s war against Ukraine, which began on February 24.

Ukraine’s Armed Forces report that Russia has lost about 68,900 personnel so far in the war, while Russia claims the casualties have been much lower.

Russian strategic nuclear forces exercises
via REUTERS

At least 15 Russian missile strikes have killed seven civilians and injured three more people in Donetsk in the last day.

Russia is taking its allegations that Ukraine is preparing to use a “dirty bomb” on its own territory to the United Nations Security Council amid concerns from Western and Ukrainian officials that it is a pretext to escalate the war.

Meanwhile Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has reiterated his pledge to retake the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine.

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