The cross-Russia simulated nuclear attack involving submarines, bombers and land-based missiles was coordinated under supervision of Putin at the Defense Ministry’s headquarters in Moscow. The drill simulated a massive retaliatory nuclear strike in response to an enemy attack.
Today’s drill was expected, warnings to civilian aircrafts for the launch area in the Barents- and Pacific Seas were issued last week for the period May 5th to May 8th, including the drop-off areas for the second stage of the missile tubes, according to Russian navy blog.
From the Barents Sea, the Northern fleet’s Delta-IV class submarine “Tula” launched a Sineva ballistic missile that hit a target on the Kula testing range on the Kamchatka Peninsula. A Topol (SS-25) intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was launched from Plesetsk south of Arkhangelsk, also that one targeted to the Kura range in the Far East. From the east, the Pacific fleet’s Delta-III class submarine “Podolsk” launched a SLBM targeted towards the test range on Cape Kanin on the Nenets tundra north of the White Sea.
From the air force’s strategic forces, a total of six cruise missiles were launched by Tu-95MS aircrafts. The missiles all hit their targets in the Western Military Distric RIA Novosti reports without mentioning where in the European part of Russia the target was located.
Both Vladimir Putin and his Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu made statements after the drill claiming such large scale maneuver had nothing to do with the current Ukrainian, Russian crisis.
“The orders to prepare this event were planned already in November last year. The objects of this drill were drawn up already in November last year. During the planned events today all branches of Russia’s Armed Forces, including nuclear forces, will be taking part, all over the country”, the president said during his opening of the exercise as reported by the military TV-channel Zvezda.
Tomorrow, May 9th Victory Day will be celebrated all over Russia, including a Soviet-style military parade on the Red Square in Moscow. This year, a total of 69 warplanes and helicopters, 149 military vehicles and over 11,000 troopers will feature on and over the Red Square, RT.com reports. Displaying Russia’s nuclear forces is a central part of the parade.
