Russia has begun a round of drills involving tactical nuclear weapons in response to the possibility of deeper Western involvement in the war in Ukraine. This announcement marks the first time Russia has publicly announced such drills, although its strategic nuclear forces regularly hold exercises.
The drills, which are taking place in the Southern Military District, include training in the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons such as the Kinzhal and Iskander missiles. The Southern Military District consists of Russian regions in the south, including areas on the border with Ukraine, Crimea (illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014), and four Ukrainian regions that Russia illegally annexed in 2022.
The decision to conduct these drills was made in response to what the Russian Defense Ministry called “provocative statements and threats of certain Western officials regarding the Russian Federation.” This comes after French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine and U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron stated that Kyiv’s forces could use British long-range weapons to strike targets inside Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that these remarks by Western officials prompted the nuclear drills, describing them as “a new round of escalation.” The tension between Russia and NATO has heightened as a result of these statements, with the Kremlin branding them as dangerous.
The announcement of these drills underscores the growing tensions in the region and the potential for further escalation in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.