Russia and its ally Belarus have started the second stage of military drills aimed at training their troops in the use of tactical nuclear weapons. These exercises are part of Russia’s strategy to dissuade Western countries from increasing their support for Ukraine.
Last month, the Russian Defense Ministry announced these nuclear drills in response to what it described as “provocative statements and threats” from Western officials toward Russia. The Kremlin has been particularly upset by comments from French President Emmanuel Macron, who mentioned he might send troops to Ukraine, and by actions from the U.S. and other NATO countries allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons against targets in Russia.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized the importance of these drills and maintaining combat readiness in light of the “hostile decisions and actions” by the U.S. and its European allies, whom he accused of daily provocations.
The second stage of these drills, which began on Tuesday, involves Russian and Belarusian troops training together with non-strategic nuclear weapons. These weapons are designed for use on the battlefield rather than for large-scale destruction. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the goal of the exercise is to ensure the readiness of personnel and equipment to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Russia-Belarus alliance.
Last month, during the first stage of the exercises, the focus was on preparing for nuclear missions and deployment. Initially, Russian troops trained separately before joining forces with Belarusian soldiers for the joint drills.
In 2023, Russia moved some of its tactical nuclear weapons into Belarus, which borders Ukraine and NATO member countries Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has maintained close ties with Russia and allowed his country to be used as a staging ground for the war in Ukraine.
Tactical nuclear weapons include items like air bombs, warheads for short-range missiles, and artillery munitions. These are generally less powerful than strategic nuclear weapons, which are designed to destroy entire cities with massive warheads on intercontinental ballistic missiles. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has noted that even Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons are much more powerful than the atomic bombs the U.S. used in World War II.
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Recently, Putin stated that it is incorrect for the West to assume that Russia will never use its nuclear arsenal. He pointed to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, which allows for the use of nuclear weapons if there is a threat to the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Despite this, Putin also mentioned that there is currently no threat to Russia’s sovereignty that would justify using nuclear weapons and reiterated that Russia does not need such weapons to defeat Ukraine.
Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022, Putin has frequently reminded the West of Russia’s significant nuclear capabilities.
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