MOSCOW :
THE Russian military on
Wednesday began a third
round of drills with tactical
nuclear weapons, part of the
Kremlin’s messaging intended
to force theWest tolimititssupport for Ukraine.
The Russian Defence
Ministry said thedrillswill feature units of the central and
southern military districts
armed with Iskander shortrange missiles. They will practicereceivingnuclearweapons
from storage and deploying
them to designated launch
areas.Themaneuvers will also
include air force units that will
arm their warplanes with
nuclearweapons and perform
patrol flights.
The ministry said the drills
are intended to maintain
troops’ readiness for combat
missions.
Tactical nuclear weapons
include bombs, warheads for
short-range missiles and
artillery munitions and are
meant for use on a battlefield.
They are typically farless powerful than strategic weapons— massive warheads that armintercontinental ballistic missiles and are intended to obliterate entire cities.
The previous two rounds of
the maneuvers were held inMay andJune.ThedrillsinJunewere conducted jointly withthearmed forcesofRussia’s allyBelarus.
Last year, Russia movedsome of its tactical nuclearweapons into neighbouring Belarus, which also bordersUkraine and NATO membersPoland, Latvia and Lithuania.
Belarus’ authoritarianPresident AlexanderLukashenkohasreliedoncloseties with Russia and providedhiscountry asastaging groundfor sending troops to Ukrainein February 2022.
Russian President VladimirPutin and his officials haverepeatedly reminded theWestabout the country’s nuclearmight in a bid to discourageNATO allies from ramping uptheir support for Kyiv.