Russia launched a series of missiles on Tuesday demonstrating its capability to deploy a “massive” nuclear strike, according to Reuters. The test, involving long-range missiles that traversed thousands of miles, comes at a tense moment in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The missile launches follow repeated warnings from Moscow to Western nations, indicating that Russia would take aggressive action if the U.S. and its allies support Ukraine in extending the reach of its missiles into Russian territory.
Vladimir Putin said during the exercise, “Given the growing geopolitical tensions and the emergence of new external threats and risks, it is important to have modern and constantly ready-to-use strategic forces.”
Defense Minister Andrei Belousov told Putin that the drill was designed to “practice delivering ‘a massive nuclear strike by strategic offensive forces in response to a nuclear strike by the enemy.’” The exercise showcased the full scope of Russia’s nuclear capabilities, involving the “triad” of ground-, sea-, and air-launched missiles.
Putin described the use of nuclear weapons as an “extremely exceptional measure.” He emphasized, “I stress that we are not going to get involved in a new arms race, but we will maintain nuclear forces at the level of necessary sufficiency.” Additionally, Putin mentioned that Russia is advancing its arsenal with new “stationary and mobile-based missile systems” that have a quicker launch preparation time and can bypass missile defense systems.
The defense ministry reported that a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northwest Russia to the Kamchatka peninsula in the Far East. Additionally, Sineva and Bulava ballistic missiles were fired from submarines, and strategic bomber planes launched cruise missiles.
The missiles mentioned are vital to Russia’s strategic arsenal. The Yars is an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple warheads and can be launched from both silos and mobile units. The Sineva and Bulava are submarine-launched ballistic missiles, housed in Delta-IV and Borei-class submarines respectively, designed to deliver nuclear strikes and enhance Russia’s second-strike capabilities. The Bulava is noted for its advanced missile defense evasion technologies.
The Pentagon revealed on Monday that North Korea has dispatched approximately 10,000 troops to Russia, where they are expected to train and likely engage in combat against Ukraine in the coming weeks. Simultaneously, NATO reported that thousands of these North Korean soldiers are advancing towards the front lines, a situation that has led Kyiv to request additional weapons and an international strategy to counter this movement.
According to Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh, some North Korean forces have already approached the Ukrainian border and are believed to be destined for the Kursk border region, where Russian forces have faced challenges repelling Ukrainian advances.
Russian airstrikes across Ukrainian cities have intensified, causing significant civilian casualties and extensive damage to infrastructure. Ukraine has escalated its long-range drone strikes deep within Russian territory, targeting crucial sites such as missile storage facilities and military airfields. These aggressive actions aim to pressure Russia into negotiations and showcase Ukraine’s advancing military capabilities.
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