Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday remotely observed exercises by his nation's strategic nuclear forces that were meant to simulate a response to a “massive nuclear strike,” the Kremlin said.
Russian state television showed video of Putin observing the drills on a huge television screen, with comments from military leaders. In the broadcast, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the drills involved a nuclear submarine, long-range aircraft and multiple practice launches of ballistic and cruise missiles.
The White House said Tuesday that Russia had given notice it was going to stage the annual exercises, called "Grom" or "Thunder." They came as NATO began its own annual nuclear exercise, known as "Steadfast Noon," on Monday.
For several days, Russian officials have alleged that Ukraine is planning to develop and use a so-called “dirty bomb” in its conflict with Russia.
Dirty bombs combine conventional explosives with radioactive material and are designed to spread radioactivity that can cause massive death and contamination.
The U.N. Security Council discussed Russia’s allegations at a closed-door meeting Tuesday.
Ukraine and its Western allies have strongly denied the allegations and suspect they are being made as a pretext for some type of escalation in the war in Ukraine.
Speaking from alliance headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called the accusations “absurd” and "blatantly false,” and he warned Russia not to use false pretexts to escalate the war further.
