Russia has conducted a successful test of its capacity to carry out a massive retaliatory nuclear strike using land, sea, and air-based delivery systems, as per a statement from the Kremlin. This display of military capability coincides with Moscow's decision to withdraw from a significant nuclear test ban treaty.
The exercise included missile test launches from land-based silos, a nuclear submarine, and long-range bomber aircraft. These actions occur amid heightened tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine, described by Moscow as an existential standoff. With Russia having the world's largest nuclear arsenal, it is rapidly withdrawing from its ratification of the nuclear test ban treaty to align itself with the United States.
The Kremlin announced, "Practical launches of ballistic and cruise missiles took place during the training." Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, in a video link with President Putin, reported that the exercise served as a rehearsal for a substantial nuclear strike in response to a nuclear attack from an aggressor. The exercise involved the launch of a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile from a test site in Russia's far east, a nuclear-powered submarine firing a ballistic missile from the Barents Sea, and Tu-95MS long-range bombers test-firing air-launched cruise missiles.
The statement from the Kremlin explained, "In the course of the events, the level of preparedness of the military command authorities and the skills of the senior and operational staff in organizing subordinate troops (forces) were tested. The tasks planned in the course of the training exercise were fully accomplished." Video footage from the defence ministry depicted the missiles launching from land and submarines, while nuclear-capable bomber aircraft took off under the cover of darkness.
Russia conducts these exercises periodically to evaluate its nuclear triad, much like the United States, which also performs regular nuclear drills. Russia has clarified that despite its withdrawal from the nuclear test ban treaty, it has no intentions of violating a 1992 moratorium on nuclear test explosions consistent with the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), which Russia has signed. Russia would only consider resuming such tests, a move Western military experts believe it might use to signal intent and create fear in a standoff with the West if the United States did so first.
The Kremlin's decision to withdraw from the CTBT is solely to align itself with Washington, which signed but never ratified the same treaty.
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