Russia Launches Large Nuclear Drills Practicing Massive Response To Nuclear Strike On Country
Kremlin: Vladimir Putin "led a training exercise that involved the forces and resources of the ground, sea and air components of the strategic deterrence forces".
MOSCOW - Russia has launched large nuclear drills to practice Moscow's "massive" response to a nuclear strike on the country, according to the country's Defense Minister. During the training exercise of Russia's Strategic Deterrence Forces, nuclear-capable ballistic missiles and cruise missiles were launched, though it is unlikely the test-fires involved armed nuclear warheads.
Russian President Vladimir Putin "led a training exercise that involved the forces and resources of the ground, sea and air components of the strategic deterrence forces," according to a statement released by the Kremlin.
Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said that the exercises were meant to practice, “strategic offensive forces launching a massive nuclear strike in response to a nuclear strike by the enemy".
According to the Kremlin, the drill involved, "practical launches of both ballistic and cruise missiles were executed," adding that "A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from the Plesetsk state testing cosmodrome, targeting the Kura training ground in Kamchatka".
"Sineva and Bulava ballistic missiles were launched from the nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine Novomoskovsk in the Barents Sea and from the nuclear-powered submarine Knyaz Oleg in the Sea of Okhotsk."
The statement went on to say, " Tu-95MC long-range strategic bombers participated in the training, firing air-launched cruise missiles. The practical launches were directed from the National Defense Control Center of the Russian Federation".
"During the exercises, the level of preparedness of military command bodies as well as the skills of senior and operational personnel in organizing and managing the troops (forces) under their command were assessed.
The tasks set for the training of the strategic deterrence forces were fully accomplished, with all missiles successfully hitting their designated targets, thus confirming their performance specifications."