NATO official statements or press releases

Putin Orders Tactical Nuclear Drills in Response to NATO's Steadfast Defender

May 6, 2024, 08:04 AM

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian military to conduct nuclear weapon drills involving tactical nuclear weapons, in response to perceived Western provocations. These exercises, scheduled to involve missile units, naval forces, and aviation from the Southern Military District, aim to ensure Russia's security and practice the operational use of non-strategic nuclear weapons. This action coincides with Putin's inauguration for a fifth term and follows NATO's ongoing Steadfast Defender exercise, its largest since the Cold War. The drills are partly a reaction to comments by French President Emmanuel Macron regarding NATO's involvement in Ukraine.