Russia announced exercises of non-strategic nuclear forces. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that it was “preparation to increase combat readiness related to the fulfillment of military tasks.” Moscow said it was related to Western statements, which it called “provocative.”
The Russian ministry announced planned military exercises on May 6. They will be organized on the orders of Vladimir Putin. In this way, Russia wants to check the readiness of “non-strategic nuclear forces to perform combat missions,” Reuters reported.
Russia. Vladimir Putin has planned exercises of non-strategic nuclear forces
It is not known when and where the maneuvers will begin. The Ministry of Defense’s announcement refers to the “near future”. As reported by the TASS news agency, the missile forces of the Southern Military District, the air force and the navy are to take part in the exercises. Earlier, independent media reported that Moscow had lowered the threshold for the use of tactical nuclear weapons. The Financial Times, citing secret documents, wrote in February that the Kremlin may use this type of weapon in the event of an attack from China, as well as to “stop other countries from aggression against Russia.”
– During the exercises, a set of measures will be carried out aimed at practicing the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons, said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, quoted by Reuters. The exercises are intended to ensure Russia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. This is intended to be a response “to provocative statements and threats against the Russian Federation by some Western officials,” the minister said.
War in Ukraine. Russia may attack Kharkov
According to military analysts, Russia is also to increase its forces, which it can use in an attack on Kharkov. The command of the Ukrainian army also knows about the likely Russian offensive plans. As we read in the latest report of the American Institute for the Study of War, the Russians are transferring some troops to the districts bordering north-eastern Ukraine and forming a new group there, probably to prepare an offensive on Kharkov.
ISW, citing data from Ukrainian analyst Kostiantyn Mashowiec, states that there are approximately 50,000 Russian military personnel, including airborne troops. A few days ago, the commander of the Ukrainian land forces, General Oleksandr Pavlyuk, also talked about possible Russian plans to attack Kharkov or Sumy. According to ISW analysts, however, the Russians will not have sufficient resources to implement these plans, and the offensive may be aimed at forcing the Ukrainians to transfer forces from other critical directions of the front to the Kharkov sector.
Source: gazeta.pl
