President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian military to hold nuclear weapons drills involving the navy and troops based near Ukraine, the defence ministry said Monday.

Moscow

Russian forces have invaded Ukraine from land, air and sea with strikes causing widespread damage. Global leaders have condemned the move and imposed sanctions.

Ukraine Invasion

President Vladimir Putin has directed the Russian military to conduct nuclear weapons drills that will involve both the navy and army units positioned near Ukraine, as stated by the country's defence ministry. The announcement came through the Russian Defence Ministry's communication on Telegram, detailing that the exercises are set to include the utilization of non-strategic nuclear weapons by forces including the Air Force, Navy, and Army situated in Ukrainian territories currently under Moscow's control. The drills are being described as training measures in response to statements from Western leaders.

The decision for these drills comes after comments by Western officials concerning their stance on Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron's discussions about the possibility of deploying armed forces to Ukraine have been specifically highlighted as a precipitating factor. Macron's comments, as cited in a recent article in The Economist, suggest an openness to consider sending troops to aid Ukraine under certain circumstances, such as a Ukrainian request and Russian forces breaching front lines. Although this notion was previously dismissed by many of Macron's European counterparts, shifts in perspective are now being observed in countries like the UK.

The UK, through the voice of British Foreign Minister David Cameron, has indicated that missiles provided to Ukraine could potentially be used against Russian territory. This development represents another layer of escalation in the already tense relations between Moscow and Western nations. The Russian military drills appear to be a direct reaction to these evolving dynamics and the increased support Ukraine is receiving from Western countries.



Putin orders nuclear drills near Ukraine

Announced on the Russian Defence Ministry's Telegram feed, the Kremlin says it has begun preparations for drills for the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons involving the Air Force, Navy and Army present on Ukrainian territories occupied by Moscow, training in response to comments made by Western leaders, notably Emmanuel Macron. They talked about the will and even the intention to send armed contingents to Ukraine, which means to place NATO soldiers against the Russian Army. This is a whole new level of escalation. It's unprecedented. Last week in the British newspaper The Economist, the French President reiterated his openness to sending troops to Ukraine. If the Russians were to go and break through the front lines, if there were a Ukrainian request, which is not the case today, we should legitimately ask ourselves the question. An idea he had already expressed in February, which was dismissed by many of his European counterparts. But today, some countries like the UK are changing their tune. According to the British Foreign Minister David Cameron, missiles supplied to Ukraine by London could be used to strike Russian territory. Another escalation that has angered Moscow.

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Ukraine Invasion