Russia practices 'massive nuclear strike' in test to deter 'enemy nuclear strike'

Paul Godfrey
·2 min read
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An A Yars Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile blasts off from Plesetsk Cosmodrome 500 miles north of Moscow headed for a target in Russia's Far East as part of joint exercises of the country's strategic ground. sea and air nuclear deterrent forces led by Armed Forces Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin. Photo by EPA-EPA/Russian Ministry of Defence
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Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Russia held major nuclear warfare exercises to test the preparedness of its strategic ground, sea and air nuclear deterrence forces for an "enemy nuclear strike."

President Vladimir Putin led the nuclear response simulations on Wednesday which involved firing an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile, a submarine-launched missile from beneath the Barents Sea and launching cruise missiles from aircraft, the Kremlin said in a news release.

Russian television showed Defense Secretary Sergei Shoigu telling Putin afterward that the exercises had successfully simulated "delivering a massive nuclear strike by strategic offensive forces in response to an enemy nuclear strike."

The tests saw an A Yars ICBM, launched from silos 500 miles north of Moscow fly 3,600 miles to hit a training target in Kamchatka in Russia's Far East, a Tula strategic nuclear submarine fire a Sineva ballistic missile from the Arctic and TU-95MS long-range bombers air-launch cruise missiles.

"The purpose of the training exercise was to check the level of preparedness of military command bodies, as well as the skill of the leadership and operational personnel in managing the troops (forces) under their command," the Kremlin said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin directs major military exercises to practice "delivering a massive nuclear strike" by the country's ground, sea and air forces in response to an enemy nuclear strike. Photo courtesy The Kremlin
Russian President Vladimir Putin directs major military exercises to practice "delivering a massive nuclear strike" by the country's ground, sea and air forces in response to an enemy nuclear strike. Photo courtesy The Kremlin

"The objectives of the exercise were achieved in full."

The Kremlin said the exercises were directed by Putin as "Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Federation Armed Forces" from his office in the Kremlin but the missile launches were coordinated by the National Defense Control Center.

The nuclear war games come as a bill for Russia to quit the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty lands on Putin's desk after the upper house of the Duma backed it in a unanimous vote Wednesday.

The legislation which backtracks Russian ratification of the treaty which it signed in 2000 was requested by Putin to bring Moscow in line with Washington which has never ratified the CTBT.

Russia in June announced that it would deploy its nuclear weapons to Belarus, marking the first time that they have been stationed outside Russia since 1991.