Kremlin says nuclear drills are a signal

MOSCOW: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday (May 21), that military drills involving nuclear forces were always a signal.  

Moscow is conducting some of its biggest nuclear exercises in years, involving 64,000 people to drill its forces in "the preparation and use of nuclear forces in the event of aggression."

"As part of the nuclear forces exercise, nuclear munitions were delivered to the field storage facilities of the missile brigade's position area in the Republic of Belarus," the Russian defence ministry said.

The exercises involve Strategic Missile Forces, the Northern and Pacific fleets, long-range aviation and units from the Leningrad and Central military districts.

The three-day nuclear drills, which started on Tuesday across Russia and Belarus, come as tensions with European NATO members rose over the war in Ukraine and Ukrainian drone activity in the Baltic.

Throughout the Ukraine conflict, President Vladimir Putin has issued reminders of Russia's nuclear might as a warning to the West not to go too far in its support of Kyiv.