Russia to hold major nuclear exercises: nearly 8,000 items of weaponry to be used

Russia's Ministry of Defence has announced that their armed forces will conduct exercises on the preparation and use of nuclear forces from 19 to 21 May, allegedly in the context of a threat of aggression.

Source: Russia's Ministry of Defence

Details: It is reported that the Strategic Missile Forces, the Northern and Pacific Fleets, the Long-Range Aviation Command and units from the Leningrad and Central Military Districts are involved in the exercises.

The Russian ministry listed that 64,000 personnel and over 7,800 items of weapons, military and special equipment will participate in the nuclear exercises.

These include over 200 missile launch systems, over 140 aircraft, 73 surface vessels and 13 submarines, eight of which are designated strategic.

As the ministry noted, "the exercises are aimed at verifying the level of preparedness of command and operational personnel, improving their skills and practising command and coordination during the execution of tasks".

Launches of ballistic and cruise missiles at test ranges on Russian territory are also planned.

Background:

• Prior to this, the Belarusian Ministry of Defence announced that exercises for units on the combat deployment of nuclear weapons began in Belarus on 18 May, conducted in coordination with Russian military forces.
• Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus and the joint nuclear exercises of the two dictatorships as an unprecedented challenge to the architecture of global security and called on international partners to respond firmly.

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