Russia conducts nuclear exercise

MOSCOW — Russia successfully conducted a strategic nuclear exercise on Tuesday, with all missiles hitting their targets, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Russian President Vladimir Putin oversaw the strategic nuclear exercise, which involved practical missile launches, according to the Kremlin.

The ministry said all objectives of the exercise were fulfilled, with all missiles reaching their targets and testifying their specified characteristics.

Defense Minister Andrey Belousov reported that the exercise is intended to practice "strategic offensive forces launching a massive nuclear strike in response to a nuclear strike by the enemy".

"Today we are conducting another exercise of strategic deterrence forces," Putin said, adding that the army practiced the control of nuclear weapons and test-launched ballistic and cruise missiles.

"Given the growth of geopolitical tensions, the emergence of new external threats and risks, it is important to have modern strategic forces that are constantly ready for combat use," Putin said.

The Russian leader said that in this context, the nuclear triad — strategic aircraft, intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear-powered missile-carrying submarines — is a guarantor of the country's sovereignty and security and Moscow will continue to improve and modernize its nuclear forces.

Putin said the use of nuclear weapons is an "extreme, exceptional measure to ensure state security" and Moscow will not engage in an arms race.

The ministry said that all the missiles reached their designated targets.

In developments on the battlefield, the ministry said on Wednesday that its air defense units destroyed 23 Ukrainian drones overnight over several western Russian regions. Seven Ukrainian drones were destroyed over the Rostov region, five over the Kursk region, four over the Smolensk region and the rest over the Oryol, Bryansk and Belgorod regions, the ministry said on the Telegram messaging app.

Ukraine's air forces said on Wednesday that Kyiv's air defense units destroyed 33 of the 62 drones that Russia launched overnight.

Xinhua - Agencies