Russia Begins Drills on Preparation and Use of Non-Strategic Nuclear Weapons

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Defense announced that the Russian General Staff, on behalf of President Vladimir Putin, had begun preparations to hold exercises with missile formations of the Southern Military District and Navy forces.

Russia's Southern Military District has begun the first stage of an exercise involving practical training in the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons, the Defence Ministry said.

"In accordance with the instructions of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, the first stage of the drills has begun in the Southern Military District under the leadership of the General Staff of the armed forces of the Russian Federation with practical testing of the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons," the statement said.

⚡The Southern Military District has begun the first stage of an exercise involving practical training in the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons, the Defence Ministry said.

As part of non-strategic nuclear weapons exercises, the Russian missile formations are… pic.twitter.com/xhe8Dg5qUu

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The drills with the non-strategic nuclear weapons train for receipt of special munitions and equipment of launch vehicles, the ministry added.

"As part of this stage, the personnel of the missile formations of the Southern Military District are completing combat training tasks for obtaining special ammunition for the Iskander operational and tactical missile system, equipping them with launch vehicles and covertly advancing to the designated positional area to prepare for missile launches," the ministry explained, adding that the Russian aviation is training with the equipment of special combat units of aircraft destruction, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles.

These exercises are aimed at maintaining a readiness to respond and to unconditionally ensure Russia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty in response to provocative statements and threats made by Western officials, the ministry explained earlier this month.