Putin Oversees Regular Nuclear Drills Amid Escalation Fears
- Russia has issued nuclear threats as Ukraine conflict drags on
- Exercises simulated ‘massive’ retaliatory strike, Shoigu says
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Russian President Vladimir Putin oversaw regular military drills simulating a nuclear retaliatory strike Wednesday, amid growing concerns of a further escalation by the Kremlin as its war in Ukraine drags into a ninth month.
In televised comments, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told Putin the exercises were intended to rehearse “a massive nuclear strike” in response to an atomic attack on Russia. The exercises included the launch of intercontinental ballistic missiles from Kamchatka in the Russian far east, ballistic missiles from the Barents Sea as well as cruise missiles fired from the air by strategic bombers.