Putin Orders Nuclear Drills Near Ukraine Amid Russia-Ukraine Conflict

In a significant development, Russian President Vladimir Putin has directed nuclear drills as tensions persist in the conflict with Ukraine. The decision to conduct these drills near Ukraine raises concerns about further escalation.

Russia’s defense ministry announced that President Putin instructed the Russian military to conduct nuclear drills involving the navy and troops in proximity to Ukraine. Putin’s increased references to nuclear weapons since the conflict began have heightened international apprehension. During a recent speech, he acknowledged a “real” possibility of nuclear conflict.

The exercises, set to occur “in the near future,” aim to prepare and demonstrate the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons to safeguard Russia’s territorial integrity against perceived threats from certain Western officials. Western officials have become increasingly alarmed by the Kremlin’s rhetoric on nuclear weapons amid the Ukraine conflict. Putin’s frequent references to Russia’s nuclear strategy have added to these concerns.

Moreover, Russia’s recent decisions, including its withdrawal from arms reduction agreements with the United States and refusal to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, have contributed to global unease. As tensions escalate, the world closely monitors Russia’s nuclear drills in the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.