Russian TV has aired footage that shows Vladimir Putin has deployed nuclear weapons which was released by the Russian Defence Ministry.
On Russia-1 TV Kremlin propagandist Dmitry Kiselyov showed the footage of Russian forces deploying a Tu-22M3 long-range bomber along with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile.
Footage also shows Russian forces with an Iskander mobile short-range ballistic missile system which can launch conventional and nuclear weapons.
Last week Putin ordered military exercises on the Ukrainian border over comments made by the West which has been seen as an escalation against the Russian Federation.
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The exercises started in the Southern Military District with “practical testing of the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons.”
This allegedly started because the British Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron has allowed Kyiv to use UK’s long-range missiles to attack targets inside Russia.
На «России 1» сообщили о вывозе российского ядерного оружия со складов
▪️Дмитрий Киселев сообщил, что Россия вывезла тактическое ядерное оружие со складов во время проходящих сейчас учений.
▪️Киселев в программе покадрово разобрал два видео Минобороны. В первом ролике была… pic.twitter.com/FCYz3CtRo8
— Новости «Агентства» (@agents_media) May 27, 2024
Then followed a furious response from the Kremlin, as the spokesman Dmitry Peskov called this a “dangerous” move as it is a “verbal escalation” which threatens the EU.
Peskov warned, “These are direct escalations of tension around the Ukrainian conflict, which potentially may pose a danger to European security, to the entire security architecture of Europe.
“This is part of a dangerous trend of escalating tension through official statements, and is the cause for our concern.”
The Russian Ministry of Defence wrote on Telegram, “In accordance with the instructions of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the first stage of the exercise with practical testing of the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons began in the Southern Military District under the leadership of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.
Officials said, “the personnel of the missile formations of the Southern Military District are practising combat training tasks of obtaining special ammunition for the Iskander operational-tactical missile system, equipping launch vehicles with them and covertly advancing to the designated position area in preparation for missile launches.
They added, “The personnel of the aviation units of the Russian Aerospace Forces involved in the exercise practice equipping aviation weapons with special warheads, including the Kinzhal aeroballistic hypersonic missiles, and flying into designated patrol areas.”
Russian MP Lt-Gen Andrey Gurulev warned, “If the [West] are underestimating [Russian resolve], then there will probably come a moment….when this nuclear strike will smash someone over the head quite seriously….
“We are talking about….the integrity and independence of the state.
“The Nazism that has developed in Ukraine with the help of the West is a threat to us.
“If the West is going to develop this Nazism further by helping Ukraine, then I think it is a direct threat to our independence and integrity on our side.”
