NEAR KHERSON FRONTLINE, Ukraine (Dispatches) -- Russia rehearsed its response to a nuclear attack on Wednesday in an exercise that involved nuclear submarines, strategic bombers and ballistic missiles at a time when tensions are high over a “dirty bomb” allegation it has made against Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin remotely observed the annual exercise, called “Grom” or “Thunder”, which uses test launches to put Moscow’s nuclear forces through their paces in a show of force designed to deter and intimidate foes.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin that the exercise was intended to simulate a “massive nuclear strike” by Russia in retaliation for a nuclear attack on Russia.
The maneuvers followed Putin’s warning about his readiness to use “all means available” to fend off attacks on Russia’s territory in a clear reference to the country’s nuclear arsenals.
During Wednesday’s drills, a Yars land-based intercontinental ballistic missile was test-fired from the northern Plesetsk launch site. A Russian nuclear submarine in the Barents Sea launched a Sineva ICBM at the Kura firing range on the far-eastern Kamchatka Peninsula.
As part of the exercise, Tu-95 strategic bombers also launched cruise missiles at practice targets.
The Kremlin said in a statement that all tasks set for the exercise were fulfilled and all the missiles that were test-fired reached their designated targets.
Such maneuvers involving land, sea and air components of the Russian nuclear triad have taken place on an annual basis to train the country’s nuclear forces and demonstrate their readiness. A previous such exercise was held just days before Putin sent troops into Ukraine.
Putin was cited by the RIA news agency as saying the potential for conflict in the world and region remained high.
The Pentagon said a day earlier that Russia had notified it of its intention to carry out the exercises at a time when NATO is rehearsing its own use of U.S. nuclear bombs based in Europe in its annual “Steadfast Noon” war games.
The nuclear drill is sensitive because Russia is fighting in Ukraine and has accused Ukraine of planning to detonate a “dirty bomb” laced with radioactive material.
Western officials have expressed fear that Moscow may be tempted to use a low-yield “tactical” nuclear weapon in Ukraine to try to force Kyiv to capitulate at a time when Ukrainian forces are advancing inside the Russian-held Kherson province, threatening a major defeat for Moscow.
U.S. President Joe Biden warned Moscow on Tuesday that such a move would be an “incredibly serious mistake.”
Putin, who was to chair a Security Council meeting later on Wednesday, has warned that Russia has the right to defend its own territory using any weapons in its arsenal, which includes the world’s largest nuclear stockpile, but has not specifically spoken of tactical nuclear weapons.
Russian officials have said that Moscow’s protective nuclear umbrella has been extended to cover four Ukrainian regions Putin says he has annexed, while stressing the desire to avoid a nuclear conflict.
A day after Russia aired its “dirty bomb” allegations at the UN Security Council, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu briefed his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe by video, conveying Moscow’s concern around what it called “potential provocations” from Kyiv involving a “dirty bomb”, Shoigu’s ministry said.
A close Putin ally, Shoigu held a similar video conference with his Indian counterpart, it said.
Rajnath Singh, India’s Defense Minister, told Shoigu that nuclear weapons should not be used by any side in the Ukraine
There was no immediate readout from Beijing on what Wei Fenghe had told Shoigu.
Washington said late on Tuesday that Moscow’s notification of its plans to carry out nuclear exercises lowered the risk of miscalculation at a time of “reckless” Russian nuclear rhetoric.
NATO is holding its own annual nuclear drills this month, involving U.S. B-52 bombers, 14 countries and up to 60 aircraft.