Vladimir Putin's show of force has begun.
Russia is conducting a nuclear military exercise near the Ukrainian border, which was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, and its purpose is to assess Russian tactical nuclear weapons and improve their deployability.
On Monday, the first stage of the training exercise for the preparation and use of military nuclear weapons began in Russia, and the first videos of the event were released on Tuesday.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on May 6 that President Putin has ordered the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces to prepare for a military exercise involving the deployment of combat nuclear weapons. According to the ministry, this aims to maintain the response capability of the personnel and equipment of the affected units, as well as to ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Russian state.
In the information, they explained that the military exercise is also a response to the "provocative statements and threats" that some Western officials made against Russia.
The maneuvers will have three phases: the first began on Monday. Belarus will also join the second. In the first phase, the Russians practice with Iskander-type long-range mobile land-based missile launchers and combat nuclear bombers. No information has yet been received about the third phase.
A recording of the exercise was also released, in which the Russians prepare a MiG-31K fighter jet and a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber for the exercise.
1/2 Geolocation of the Russian MoD video, showing the start of the tactical nuclear weapons exercises: Akhtubinsk air base, Astrakhan oblast, 470 km from the Ukrainian border. This airbase is often used by Russian planes in the war (MiG-31K, Su-34, etc). https://t.co/gUMbzrmeVh pic.twitter.com/37V4vzm1qb
— Mark Krutov (@kromark) May 21, 2024
Cover image: Russian forces prepare the bomber for military exercises
Source: X/Mark Krutov
