Russia says it rehearsed delivering a massive retaliatory nuclear strike
- Russia says it tested its nuclear triad, firing missiles from land, sea and air
- The exercises came as Moscow is de-ratifying nuclear test ban treaty
02:12
Russia launches missile drills to test its ability to deliver ‘massive’ retaliatory nuclear strike
Russia has successfully tested its ability to deliver a massive retaliatory nuclear strike by land, sea and air, a Kremlin statement said on Wednesday, a display of force which coincides with Moscow de-ratifying a landmark nuclear test ban treaty.
The exercise, which involved the test launch of missiles from a land-based silo, a nuclear submarine, and from long-range bomber aircraft, comes as Moscow is locked in what it casts as an existential stand-off with the West over Ukraine.
With tensions at their highest level since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, Russia – which has the world’s largest nuclear arsenal – is moving quickly to revoke its ratification of a nuclear test ban treaty to bring itself into line with the United States.
“Practical launches of ballistic and cruise missiles took place during the training,” the Kremlin said in a statement on the nuclear drills.
State TV showed Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu reporting by video link to President Vladimir Putin on the exercise, which he said was a rehearsal for “a massive nuclear strike” in response to an aggressor’s nuclear attack.
A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was fired from a test site at a target in Russia’s far east, a nuclear-powered submarine launched a ballistic missile from the Barents Sea, and Tu-95MS long-range bombers test-fired air-launched cruise missiles, the Kremlin statement said.