Russia conducts nuclear, ballistic missile exercises
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Russian nuclear submarines take part in drills in the Barents Sea, as units of the Strategic Rocket Forces exercise dispersing intercontinental ballistic missiles.
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Russian nuclear submarine Vladimir Monomakh
Russian nuclear submarines set out Tuesday for drills in the Barents Sea as mobile missile launchers roamed the snowy forests of Siberia after President Vladimir Putin ordered his Defense Ministry to put the country's deterrence forces on high alert in light of the rising tensions in Ukraine.
In a statement, the Russian Northern Fleet confirmed that several nuclear submarines participated in maneuvers aimed to train the forces during stormy weather conditions.
The fleet added that several warships tasked with protecting the Kola Peninsula in northwestern Russia will join the exercises.
For its part, the Russian Defense Ministry said Monday that Russia's Strategic Rocket Forces, the Northern and Pacific Fleets, as well as long-range aviation command have reinforced the personnel on combat duty, as ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday.
"Russian Defense Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu reported to Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian armed forces V. V. Putin that, in accordance with his order, the duty shifts of control units of the strategic rocket forces, the Northern and Pacific fleets, and the long-range aviation command have started to carry out the combat duty with increased capacity," the Defense Ministry told reporters.
It is noteworthy that last Thursday, Moscow launched a special military operation in Ukraine, responding to calls from the people's republics of Donetsk and Lugansk for help in countering the aggression of Ukrainian forces, which they had been witnessing since 2014.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that the special operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger.
