The Russian Defense Ministry announced this morning that the third stage of the non-strategic nuclear forces exercises that had been ordered by Putin began this morning. “During the exercise, a set of measures will be taken to prepare the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation for the deployment of non-strategic nuclear weapons,” the ministry said. “During this stage, personnel of the Southern and Central military districts are planned to train acquiring special training warheads for the Iskander operational-tactical missile systems, loading launchers with it, and covertly advancing to the designated position areas for electronic missile launches.”
“Military personnel of the Russian Aerospace Forces’ units involved will train loading aircraft with special warheads to make sorties to the designated patrol areas. This stage is intended to maintain Russian military personnel and hardware of non-strategic nuclear units ready to perform the missions assigned.”
Separately, a pair of Tu-95MS long range bombers flew a ten-hour mission yesterday that took them out over the neutral waters of the Sea of Japan. The bombers were escorted by Su-35S and Su-30SM fighter jets. “At certain stages of the route, the long-range bombers were escorted by fighter jets of foreign countries,” the ministry reported.
