Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday watched the start of strategic nuclear exercises involving ballistic missile launches, the RIA news agency said.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Putin, watched the military exercises alongside the Russian president from a situation center in the Kremlin, the agency said, citing information from spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
The exercises are the latest show of force by Moscow at a time of acute tension with the West over Ukraine.
According to the Russian government, the tests included a successful launch of Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. The Kremlin also confirmed that warships and submarines launched Tsirkon missiles and hypersonic weapons at sea and land targets.
The Defense Ministry said the exercises will test the readiness of military command and control, combat teams, warships and strategic missile carriers, as well as the reliability of strategic nuclear and non-nuclear weapons.
The exercises will be attended by the Russian Aerospace Forces, the Southern Military District, Strategic Missile Forces, Northern Fleet and Black Sea Fleet.
The exercises follow a massive series of maneuvers by the Russian military over the past four months that have included a troop build-up – estimated by the West at 150,000 or more – to the north, east and south of Ukraine. Russia denies having planned to attack Ukraine.
Putin and other senior officials often refer to the fact that Russia, along with the United States, is one of the world’s leading nuclear powers.
*With information from Reuters
Source: CNN Brasil
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