Russia announces nuclear weapon drills in warning to West after clash with senior officials
6 May 2024, 13:37 | Updated: 6 May 2024, 13:40
Russia has announced nuclear weapon drills after clashing with senior Western officials.
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The exercises are in response to "provocative statements and threats of certain Western officials regarding the Russian Federation", the defence ministry said.
It is the first time that Russia has publicly announced drills involving tactical nuclear weapons, despite regularly holding exercises.
It comes after French President Emmanuel Macron repeated last week that he had not excluded the idea of sending troops to Ukraine.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron also said Kyiv's forces would be able to use British long-range weapons to strike targets inside Russia.
Meanwhile, the US signed off $61bn more funding for Ukraine last month as part of a larger foreign aid package.
The Kremlin branded the remarks as dangerous, with it increasing tension between Russia and Nato.
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Tactical nuclear weapons, including air bombs, warheads for short-range missiles and artillery munitions, are meant for use on the battlefield.
The ministry said the exercise is intended to "increase the readiness of non-strategic nuclear forces to fulfil combat tasks" and will be held on President Vladimir Putin's orders.
The manoeuvres will involve missile units of the Southern Military District along with the air force and the navy, it said.
Ukrainian drones hit two vehicles on Monday in Russia's Belgorod region, killing six people and injuring 35 others, including two children, local authorities said, in an area frequently struck by Kyiv's forces in recent months.
One of the vehicles was a minibus that was carrying farm workers, Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
No other details were immediately available, and it was not possible to independently confirm the report from the border region.
While Ukraine's army is largely pinned down on the 600-mile front line due to a shortage of troops and ammunition after more than two years of fighting, it has used its long-range firepower to hit targets deep inside Russia.
The apparent aim is to disrupt Russia's war logistics system by hitting oil refineries and depots, and unnerve the Russian border regions.
