Russia begins 3rd nuclear drills as Ukraine repels largest barrage in months

KIEV

In this photo taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Oct. 26, 2022, a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is test-fired as part of Russia's nuclear drills from a launch site in Plesetsk, northwestern Russia.

Kiev on Wednesday said that Russian forces had launched one cruise missile and 89 Iranian-designed attack drones at Ukraine overnight in one of the largest aerial barrages in months as Russia announced it had launched the third stage of drills on the use of tactical nuclear weapons, which included forces involved in the conflict in Ukraine.

Ukraine's air force said it had downed all the incoming projectiles.

"Today Ukrainian air defence withstood and repelled a massive attack by enemy drones," the air force said in a statement.

Russia fires drones and missiles at Ukraine on an almost nightly basis. It says it is targeting military and energy facilities, though strikes on residential areas are frequent and Kiev accuses Moscow of directly targeting civilians.

More than 40 of the drones were downed over the capital Kiev and its outskirts, the city's military administration said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Russia's defense ministry said the exercises on nuclear weapons were taking place in the central and southern military districts — which includes several North Caucasus republics and annexed Crimea — as well as four regions of southern and eastern Ukraine that Russia claims to have annexed despite not fully controlling.

The southern military district includes the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, which is home to Moscow's headquarters for the military operation in Ukraine.

"The third stage of non-strategic nuclear forces exercises have begun," said the Russian defence ministry in a statement.

This stage of drills involves training on the Iskander-M missile systems and various aircraft, the Russian defence ministry said.

The military personnel taking part will train on receiving "special ammunition" and on equipping missile systems and aircraft.

President Vladimir Putin in early May ordered the staging of these exercises partly, according to the Kremlin, in response to perceived threats from Western nations, notably after French President Emmanuel Macron broached the possibility of sending French troops to Ukraine.

The first stage of drills began in May.

Since the beginning of hostilities in February 2022, Putin has on occasions evoked the possible use of nuclear weapons.

In the summer of 2023, Russia deployed tactical nuclear weapons to its ally Belarus, which also borders Ukraine.

Minsk in May also announced synchronised military drills alongside Moscow to verify its tactical nuclear weapons launchers.