Moscow said on Wednesday that its military simulated the launch of nuclear-capable missiles in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, as Russian forces continue their attacks in Ukraine.
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The announcement comes on the 70th day of Russia’s intervention in Ukraine, which has killed thousands and caused the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, with more than 13 million people displaced.
After sending troops to Ukraine in late February, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued somewhat veiled threats hinting at his willingness to deploy tactical nuclear weapons.
In a statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said that during military exercises in the Baltic Sea enclave between the European Union member states Poland and Lithuania on Wednesday, Russia simulated “electronic launches” of mobile ballistic missile systems with nuclear capabilities Iskander.
The statement said that the Russian forces carried out single and multiple strikes on targets simulating the launchers of missile systems, airports, protected infrastructure, military equipment and command centers of an imaginary enemy.
After carrying out the “electronic” shots, the soldiers conducted a maneuver to change the situation in order to avoid a “possible retaliatory strike,” according to the Defense Ministry.
The combat units also conducted “operations under conditions of radioactive and chemical contamination.”
More than 100 soldiers participated in these exercises.
Russia put its nuclear forces on high alert shortly after sending troops to Ukraine on February 24.
Putin warned of “lightning-fast” retaliation in the event of direct Western intervention in the Ukraine conflict.
According to observers, in recent days Russian state television has tried to make the use of nuclear weapons more acceptable to the public.
“Two weeks ago, we heard on television that the nuclear silos should be opened,” Dmitry Muratov, editor of an independent Russian newspaper and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, said on Tuesday.
