Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday oversaw comprehensive tests of Moscow’s nuclear forces triad—encompassing land, sea, and air—to rehearse their readiness and command structure, as the conflict in Ukraine continues.
The drills, which are conducted regularly to test the forces and remind adversaries of Russia’s vast nuclear arsenal, included the following launches:
- A land-based “Yars” intercontinental ballistic missile from a cosmodrome.
- A “Sineva” ballistic missile from a nuclear submarine in the Barents Sea.
- Nuclear-capable cruise missiles launched from strategic bombers.
The Kremlin confirmed that the exercise successfully tested the preparedness of the military command and the practical skills of operational personnel in controlling subordinate forces, stating that “all exercise tasks were completed.”
Context of Rising Tensions
The Russian drills take place amid soaring tensions with the West over the Ukraine war and coincide with NATO’s own annual nuclear exercises, “Steadfast Noon,” which began earlier this month. The NATO exercises involve approximately 60 aircraft from 13 nations, including F-35A fighter jets and B-52 bombers.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts related to the Ukraine conflict remain uncertain:
- US President Donald Trump has reportedly pushed for a resolution, allegedly threatening Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into accepting President Putin’s terms.
- Zelensky on Wednesday called Trump’s proposal of freezing the frontline and negotiating an end to the war a “good compromise,” but expressed doubt about Putin’s readiness to accept it.
- Russia also confirmed that Putin’s second summit with Trump, following the August 15 Alaska Summit, is still being prepared.