Russia’s recent nuclear missile tests are intended to send a “threatening signal” to NATO, with Vladimir Putin focused on deterring additional Western support for Ukraine at a crucial point in the war, experts have claimed.
On Tuesday, Russia launched missiles over vast distances, described by Defence Minister Andrey Belousov as a simulated “massive nuclear strike by strategic offensive forces in response to a nuclear attack by the enemy.”
Meanwhile Putin has emphasised the importance of keeping “modern and constantly ready-to-use strategic forces” in light of escalating geopolitical tensions and emerging threats.
As the world’s largest nuclear power, Russia controls a large proportion of the global nuclear arsenal alongside the US, with the two superpowers holding 88 per cent of the world’s nuclear warheads.
This week’s drills involved Russia’s nuclear “triad” of ground-, sea-, and air-launched missiles, with exercise including a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launched from Plesetsk to Kamchatka.
In addition, Sineva and Bulava ballistic missiles were fired from nuclear submarines in the Barents and Okhotsk seas, while cruise missiles were launched from Tu-95 bombers, with all reportedly hitting their intended targets.
While Putin has acknowledged that deploying nuclear weapons would be an “extremely exceptional measure,” he stressed that Russia would maintain “necessary sufficiency” of its nuclear forces and implement new “stationary and mobile missile systems” with reduced launch times to evade missile defences.
The latest exercise is Russia’s second of the month, following an exercise on October 18 in the Tver region, also featuring a Yars missile unit capable of reaching US cities.
Dr Emma Salisbury, an associate fellow at the Council on Geostrategy, suggested that Mr Putin’s move was designed to “prod at Ukraine and NATO”, with exercises, along with recent amendments to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, fitting a pattern of nuclear posturing against Western support for Ukraine.
She told the i the underlying message to the West was clear: “If you permit Ukraine to conduct long-range strikes within Russian territory, be warned.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pushing for permission to use Western missiles for strikes deep inside Russia as part of his “victory plan,” something Washington has so far resisted, concerned at the prospect of escalation and direct involvement in a broader conflict.
Last month, Putin cautioned the US and NATO allies that permitting Ukraine to conduct such strikes would amount to a declaration of war against his country.
Dr Salisbury said Russia’s nuclear drills were intended “more as a reminder than an immediate escalation.”
Putin is likely hoping the upcoming US election could shift American support away from Ukraine, she pointed out.
She explained: “If Donald Trump wins the White House and the Republicans take control of Congress, significant aid or any aid at all for Ukraine may be unlikely going forward.”
Separately, Russia’s top diplomat on Friday hosted his North Korean counterpart for talks amid reports that Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to Russia to support its military in the war in Ukraine.
Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui’s visit to Moscow and her meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov came on the heels of the Pentagon’s statement that North Korea has deployed about 10,000 troops to Russia to fight against Ukraine within “the next several weeks.”
Western leaders have described the North Korean troop deployment as a significant escalation that could also jolt relations in the Indo-Pacific region.
Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang have specified the agenda for Choe’s talks in Moscow, but in a closed-door hearing at South Korea’s parliament, the South’s spy agency said Choe may be involved in high-level discussions on sending additional troops to Russia and negotiating what the North would get in return.
South Korean and Western officials have voiced concern that Russia may offer technology that could advance the threat posed by North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile program.
In remarks which are likely to raise eyebrows in the West, Choe today pledged that North Korea would help the Russian army and people in their “holy war”, according to Russian state media.
