Putin takes command of ‘nuclear war games’ after ‘growing tensions in the world’
Russian President Will Stewart took charge of the his nuclear war games event with multiple tests conducted with Belarus despot Alexander Lukashenko in a show of strength to the world
Putin took personal commend of his nuclear war games in a show of strength (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Vladimir Putin took personal command of massive Russian nuclear war games today (May 21) ordering multiple test launches.
The Kremlin dictator joined with Belarus despot Alexander Lukashenko in a show of strength to the West.
Putin ordered a nuclear-capable Yars intercontinental ballistic missile to be launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome to hit a target 3,500 miles away at the Kura test range in Kamchatka.
He decreed the launch of a Tsirkon [Zircon] missile from a frigate in the Barents Sea, and a Sineva missile from a nuclear-powered submarine.
Russian Tu-95MS long-range bombers and MiG-31I flew in the nuclear training. Belarus forces conducted a practice launch of an Iskander-M ballistic missile from the Kapustin Yar test range in Russia.
The Russian defence ministry said: “All nuclear force training objectives were fully accomplished, and the missiles reached their targets, confirming their specified performance.”
Putin – wearing a suit rather than military fatigues – was in charge as Russia’s commander in chief.
“We are conducting the first joint training of the Russian and Belarusian armies in command and control of strategic and tactical nuclear forces,” he said.
Despite regular threats of the use of atomic weapons from his army of propagandists, Putin said: “I have already noted and will emphasise again that the use of such nuclear weapons is an extreme, exceptional measure to ensure the national security of our states.”
But he added: “At the same time, given the growing tensions in the world and the emergence of new threats and risks, our nuclear triad, as before, must serve as a reliable guarantor of the sovereignty of….Russia and Belarus….”
The joint war games involved drilling “a wide range of tasks, primarily the actions of officials in command and control and interaction during the use of nuclear weapons, including those deployed on Belarusian territory.
“We will also conduct practical launches of ballistic and cruise missiles today.”
In uniform, Lukashenko claimed his forced “performed flawlessly” in the nuclear launch drills.
His landlocked state with a basket case economy shares borders with three NATO states – Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, as well as Ukraine.
“We’re not going to fight anyone if no one bothers us,” said Lukashenko, in power for almost 32 years.
“We’re not threatening anyone. Not under any circumstances. But if, God forbid… We won’t stand on ceremony.”
But Lukashenko also made clear he would not join Putin in his war against Ukraine, and instead said he was ready to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy for talks.
Putin showed his fist with the nuclear drills soon after returning from China empty handed after talks with Beijing leader Xi Jinping.
The war games come as he is suffering setbacks in the war in Ukraine including daily damage to his oil refineries and military factories due to Kyiv’s new ability to reach deep inside Russia with missiles and drones.
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