Putin orders maneuvers with nuclear weapons in response to NATO statements

Moscow. On the eve of taking office for his fifth six-year presidential term, President Vladimir Putin ordered the army this Monday to carry out “shortly” maneuvers with tactical nuclear weapons – of shorter range and devastating power than strategic ones – due to the “ provocative statements and threats by certain officials” of NATO member countries (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).

It is the first time that Russia announces exercises with tactical nuclear weapons, in theory due to their characteristics for use in Europe, although it regularly carries out maneuvers with intercontinental ballistic missiles, atomic submarines and large bombers that are part of its strategic nuclear forces, which They can reach any part of the United States territory.

The Ministry of Defense, announcing that it is preparing to comply with the presidential order to “increase the preparation of non-strategic nuclear forces during (possible) combat missions,” offered to “unconditionally guarantee the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the “Russian state against the provocative statements and threats of certain officials of NATO member countries.”

But it was up to the Russian Foreign Ministry, through a formal statement, to explain in more detail the meaning of these maneuvers: Warn NATO to cease “its openly destabilizing actions,” which “intend to exert more pressure on Russia and create additional threats to its security in relation to the conflict in Ukraine.

Moscow is clear that the West offers Ukraine “openly declared support” and also “direct help to carry out terrorist attacks in Russia with increasingly advanced weapons.” It indicates that the Ukrainians deliberately select to attack non-military targets and “cause many victims among civilians” and this, however, does not give pause to the sponsors of the Kiev regime, who push it to commit new crimes.”

The document notes that, in addition to the British and French long-range missile systems already in use on the front, the United States recently approved providing Ukraine with ATACMS missiles (up to 300 kilometers) that can hit targets inside Russia. .

“These criteria served as the basis for deciding to carry out these maneuvers with part of the nuclear deterrent forces, as a sobering signal for the West and its puppets in kyiv,” says the Russian diplomatic department.

And he concludes: “We trust that this military exercise (with tactical nuclear weapons) will cool the ‘hot heads’ in Western capitals, help them realize the possible catastrophic consequences of the strategic risks they generate and deter them from both “to help the Kiev regime in its terrorist actions or to be dragged into a direct armed confrontation with Russia.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the ambassadors of Great Britain and France to its headquarters on Monday to ask them for explanations for “serious events” that are increasing tension between Russia and NATO.

In particular, Russia was angered by British Foreign Secretary David Cameron’s assertion that Ukraine has the right to attack Russian territory with weapons supplied to it.

Nor did I like that the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, reiterated last week that “he would not rule out sending soldiers (to Ukraine) if certain circumstances arise,” words that the Kremlin once again described this Monday as “irresponsible” and “unfounded.” ” .

For Dimitri Peskov, spokesman for the Russian presidency, “he (Macron) spoke (in his interview with the magazine The Economist) about the readiness and even intention to send military contingents to Ukraine, that is, to put NATO soldiers against Russian soldiers. This is a new spiral in the escalation of tension. “It is unprecedented and requires particular attention and appropriate measures.”