The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, had announced at the beginning of the month that it planned to carry out these exercises, in response to statements by leaders of Western powers about the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine.
The practices, which take place in the Southern military district, bordering Ukraine, intend to verify the “availability” of “non-strategic nuclear weaponsto guarantee the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Russian State,” indicated the head of the Russian Defense portfolio in the text.
In its explanations, the Kremlin cited the statements of the President of France, Emmanuel Macronand of British Foreign Secretary David Cameronwho suggested that Western European countries send troops to Ukraine with the aim of combating Russian forces.
Moscow and the West increase diplomatic tension
Nuclear exercises increase due to the diplomatic tension generated between Russia and the West: this week, The Russian Foreign Ministry warned the West that it is playing with fire by allowing Ukraine to use Western missiles and weapons to hit Russia. In a threatening tone, the official assured that Moscow would not stop responding.
“Once again we want to warn unequivocally to Washington, London, Brussels and other Western capitals, as well as kyiv, which is under their control, that they are playing with fire. “Russia will not leave such intrusions on its territory unanswered,” he said in another statement published this week.
Russia highlighted, again, the American and British influence behind Ukraine’s military actions. In this context, the Kremlin blamed them for escalating the conflict by authorizing Ukraine to use long-range missiles and heavy weapons that they had supplied against Russian targets.
Russia says Ukraine attacks with 62 drones, stops oil refinery
Russia claimed on Sunday that Ukraine launched a major attack with 62 drones on Russian regions that forced operations to stop of an oil refinery in southern Russia and that kyiv forces had fired American, French and Ukrainian missiles into Russian-controlled territory.
Russia shot down at least 103 drones, 62 of them over Russian regionsas well as the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) over Crimea, French “Hammer” guided bombs and the American High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
Local authorities said six drones crashed on the grounds of the Slavyansk oil refinery in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region. The Interfax news agency said the refinery ceased operations after the attack.
Source: Ambito
