Russia is preparing nuclear exercises with units of the military district bordering Ukraine

The Russian Defense Ministry reports.

It is noted that the drills will be conducted with the aim of "increasing the readiness of non-strategic nuclear forces to perform combat tasks." They will involve missile units of the Southern Military District, as well as aviation and naval forces.

“The exercises are aimed at maintaining the readiness of personnel and equipment of non-strategic nuclear weapons combat units to respond and unconditionally ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Russian state in response to provocative statements and threats by certain Western officials against Russia,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

They add that they intend to hold the exercises “in the near future.” The ministry's statement emphasizes that they are being prepared on behalf of Vladimir Putin. No other details were given.

In this regard, Russian Deputy Security Council Chairman Dmitry Medvedev repeated his threats to countries that raised the issue of sending their troops to Ukraine.

“The chorus of irresponsible scoundrels in the Western political elite calling for sending their troops to a non-existent country is expanding. Now it includes representatives of the US Congress, the French and British leadership, and some lunatics from the Baltic States and Poland. They are also calling for the active use of their missile weapons, which they supplied to the Banderites, throughout Russia,” Medvedev wrote in a telegram.

He called it “the total degradation of the ruling class in the countries” and said that “Ukraine will lead to a direct entry of countries into a war that Russia will have to respond to.”

“In this case, none of them will be able to hide either on Capitol Hill, the Elysee Palace, or 10 Downing Street. There will be a global catastrophe,” the Russian threatened.

According to Medvedev, this is why the Russian General Staff has begun preparations for the exercise, including measures to practically test the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons.

Background: The Southern Military District is one of the four military administrative units of the Russian Federation Armed Forces in southwestern Russia. The headquarters is located in Rostov-on-Don. 

• On March 13, Putin said that Russia has modern nuclear weapons and is technically ready for a nuclear war.
• Later, it was reported that US President Joe Biden is aware of Putin's new statements about nuclear weapons, which he uses to blackmail the West, but the US currently sees no signs that Russia is preparing to use such weapons, particularly in Ukraine.