Russia yesterday said it had carried out a major training exercise involving nuclear weapons, a day after the United States announced a delay in plans for a second summit between presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump on the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin released video showing General Valery Gerasimov, head of the General Staff, reporting to Putin on the drills. Russia said it fired missiles from ground launchers, submarines and aircraft, including intercontinental ballistic weapons that are capable of striking the United States.
In a further show of strength, Russia’s defence ministry said its long-range Tu-22M3 strategic bomber planes carried out a flight over the Baltic Sea, escorted at various points by fighter jets from foreign – presumably Nato – states.
At key moments in the war, Putin has issued reminders of Russia’s nuclear might as a warning signal to Kyiv and its allies in the West. Nato has also been conducting nuclear deterrence exercises this month.
In a separate development, Sweden said it had signed a letter of intent to export Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, as European governments act to boost Kyiv’s defences in a war that has ground on for three years and eight months since Russia’s full-scale invasion, and shows no sign of ending soon.
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