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Russia says it has successfully conducted tests of its capabilities to launch a massive nuclear strike from land, sea and air. The announcement was made on Wednesday via a Kremlin statement.
The tests are seen as a show of force by Russia that coincides with Moscow's withdrawal from an earlier decision to ratify the landmark nuclear test ban treaty.
The exercise, which included test-firing missiles from a land base, a nuclear submarine and long-range bombers, comes amid deep disagreements between Moscow and the West over its aggression in Ukraine.
As tensions are at their highest level since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, Russia, which has the world's largest nuclear arsenal, is moving rapidly toward withdrawing its decision to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Nuclear (CTBT). Moscow has said it is taking this step to reflect the United States' position on the same treaty. Washington has signed the document, but has never ratified the pact.
State television showed footage of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu giving a video briefing to President Putin on the exercise, which he said was a test for "a massive nuclear attack" in response to a nuclear attack by an aggressor country.
A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from a location in Russia's far east, a nuclear-powered submarine launched a ballistic missile from the Barens Sea, and Tu-95MS long-range cruise bombers test-fired self-guided missiles from the air, the Kremlin statement said.
"During the exercise, the level of readiness of the military commanding authorities and the ability of senior and operative personnel in organizing subordinate troops was proven. The tasks planned during the training were fully accomplished," the announcement continued.
Russia conducts occasional tests of what it calls the nuclear triad. Likewise, the United States conducts regular nuclear drills.
Russia has made it clear that despite its latest decision, it has no plans to abandon the 1992 moratorium on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which Moscow is a signatory to.
Russia would resume such a test only if the United States took this step first, the Kremlin statement said. Western military experts see this as a move by Moscow to stoke fears of any clash with the West. / VOA
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