Russia and Belarus forces conducting joint tactical nuclear weapon drills

Europe, News June 13, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

Russia and Belarus’ armed forces started the second stage of the joint non-strategic nuclear drills to practice the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The Russian Defense Ministry statement read, “In accordance with the decision of the president of the Russian Federation, the second stage of the drills of tactical nuclear forces has begun.”

The second stage of nuclear drills kicked off in Russia. During this stage, Russian and Belarusian Armed Forces units will train together for the combat use of tactical nuclear weapons.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, tactical nuclear drills were in response to “provocative statements and threats of certain Western officials regarding the Russian Federation.”

“The military exercise intends to maintain the readiness of personnel and hardware from Russia and Belarus’ tactical nuclear weapons combat units in order to ensure the Union State’s unconditional sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Russian military said in a statement.

During the first stage of the drills, Russian troops practiced arming and deploying Iskander missiles, while the Air Force units trained arming Kinzhal hypersonic missiles.

Russia’s Kinzhal hypersonic missile on Mig-31 aircraft — *^{Russia’s Kinzhal hypersonic missile placed in the belly of the Mig 31 aircraft. (Image Credit: Radio Sputnik/The Diplomat)}*

The Russian Defense Ministry also released footage of the drills showing an Iskander system carrying missiles being driven into a field. The video also featured MiG-31 supersonic interceptors equipped with Kinzhal missiles, alongside Tupolev Tu-22M3 long-range supersonic bombers.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov underscored that ongoing nuclear drills are aimed at maintaining combat readiness and are important in view of the “hostile decisions and actions” by the U.S. and its European allies and their “provocations.”

Peskov said, “The situation on the European continent is quite tense, which is provoked every day by new decisions and actions of European capitals hostile to Russia, and above all by Washington. Therefore, of course, such exercises and maintaining combat readiness are very important for us.”

The drills come at a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow was “mulling ways to respond to weapons supplies to Ukraine for attacks on Russia. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev also announced last week that “Russia can supply weapons to any U.S. enemy, the same way Washington does with Ukraine”.

Russian Iskander tactical missile system — *^{Russian service members equip an Iskander tactical missile system outside Moscow, Russia. (Image Credit: Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters)}*

Commenting on Russian President Putin’s remark, Medvedev highlighted “Now let the U.S. and its allies feel the direct impact of the use of Russian weapons by third parties. This could be anyone who considers Yankeeland as their enemy, regardless of their political beliefs or international recognition.”

The Russian Security Council deputy chairman said, ”If the US is their enemy, then they are our friends,” adding that “Let the use of Russian weapons in the so far unidentified ‘regions’ be as devastating as possible for their and our adversaries.”