Vladimir Putin has ordered a “massive nuclear attack” drill in retaliation to a nuclear attack on Russia from the West.
The mock nuclear attack drill started on Thursday to practice a retaliation attack by Russia’s “strategic offensive forces.”
The nuclear drill involves the Russian armed forces firing the nuclear capable Yars intercontinental ballistic missile from Plesetsk cosmodrome which is based in northern Russia.
Putin and his senior generals have been planning the mock attacks for several months and the nuclear exercise is the first time Russia has ever conducted such drills.
Read more on Russia-Ukraine war:
Ukraine warns Moscow that ‘everything will happen’ to Putin’s prized bridge ‘when it’s needed’
The mock “nuclear attack” drill is in the event Russia is hit with a substantial attack where they are simulating that “70%” of their infrastructure has been destroyed.
Defence minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin on Thursday, saying, “Comrade Supreme Commander-in-Chief, in accordance with the training plan for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, under your leadership.
“The tasks of delivering a massive nuclear strike by strategic offensive forces in response to an enemy’s nuclear strike will be practiced,” he said.
Armed forces chief General Valery Gerasimov told Putin, “As part of the training, Yars mobile ground-based missile systems of the strategic missile forces, Tula strategic submarine of the Northern Fleet, and two strategic long-range missile carriers Tu-95MS, were deployed.”
