Russian President Vladimir Putin oversaw strategic nuclear drills this week, showcasing the country’s enhanced capabilities in a move that further escalated tensions with the West, Bloomberg reports.
The drills, conducted just a week before the US presidential election, involved the launch of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles from various locations, including the Kamchatka Peninsula, Barents and Okhotsk Seas, and the air.
During a televised address, Putin said that Russia was not seeking an arms race, but stressed the importance of maintaining a “modern strategic force” capable of combat deployment. He highlighted the country’s ongoing development of advanced weaponry, including mobile and stationary systems boasting improved accuracy and the ability to overcome missile defenses.
This demonstration of military might comes on the heels of Russia’s revised nuclear doctrine, announced last month. The new doctrine includes a potential response to “aggression” by non-nuclear states supported by nuclear powers, a clear reference to Ukraine.
Putin had previously warned the US and NATO against supplying Ukraine with long-range weapons that could be used to strike deep inside Russia. While the US has not yet authorized such strikes, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly called for the use of British Storm Shadow missiles, guided by US navigational data, to target Russian airfields and military installations.
Despite this escalating situation, Putin maintains that nuclear weapons are a “last resort” for national security. However, the timing and scope of these drills, coinciding with the US election and ongoing conflict in Ukraine, have sparked international concern.
The US and its allies are closely monitoring Russia’s actions and have condemned the recent nuclear rhetoric. NATO has also announced a strengthened presence in Eastern Europe in response to what it has described as perceived threats from Russia.
