Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday personally supervised large-scale nuclear force drills involving land, sea, and air components, as the war in Ukraine continues without a clear resolution.
According to Russian media reports, the exercise aimed to test the readiness and command coordination of Moscow’s strategic nuclear forces. The Kremlin said in an official statement that the drills evaluated “the preparedness of the military command and the practical skills of operational personnel in organising control of subordinate forces,” adding that “all tasks were successfully completed.”
The test featured the launch of a land-based “Yars” intercontinental ballistic missile from a cosmodrome, a “Sineva” ballistic missile from a nuclear submarine in the Barents Sea, and nuclear-capable cruise missiles from strategic bombers — demonstrating the strength of Russia’s full nuclear triad.
Russia regularly conducts such exercises to display its deterrence capabilities, especially amid growing tensions with the West over Ukraine. Meanwhile, NATO has also been holding its annual “Steadfast Noon” nuclear drills, involving around 60 aircraft, including F-35A fighter jets and B-52 bombers, across Belgium and the Netherlands.
On the diplomatic front, U.S. President Donald Trump has renewed efforts to end the conflict, reportedly pressing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to consider Moscow’s terms. Zelensky said Trump’s idea of freezing the frontline before negotiations could be a “good compromise,” but questioned Putin’s willingness to engage sincerely.
The Kremlin confirmed that preparations are underway for a second Trump-Putin summit, following their August 15 Alaska meeting, as part of ongoing diplomatic outreach.
