Russian forces have started military drills near Ukraine simulating the use of tactical nuclear weapons in response to what Moscow deems threats from western officials about increased involvement in the conflict.
Vladimir Putin ordered the drills earlier this month in a move Russian officials said was a warning to the west not to escalate tensions further.
The Kremlin has particularly been angered by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, who floated the possibility of sending European troops to fight Russia in Ukraine, and by remarks from the UK foreign secretary, David Cameron, who said Ukraine had the right to use weapons supplied by London to target sites in Russia.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Russian forces have started military drills near Ukraine simulating the use of tactical nuclear weapons in response to what Moscow deems threats from western officials about increased involvement in the conflict.
Vladimir Putin ordered the drills earlier this month in a move Russian officials said was a warning to the west not to escalate tensions further.
Putin frequently evoked Moscow’s nuclear arsenal in the early days of its invasion of Ukraine, repeatedly pledging to use all means necessary to defend Russia.
In a recent speech to mark the Soviet Union’s victory in the second world war, he said the country’s nuclear weapons were “always at combat readiness”.
Also on Tuesday, a Russian general fired last year after complaining about problems his troops faced in Ukraine was arrested on bribery charges.
Popov’s arrest came amid the largest reshuffle in the defence ministry and the army since the war in Ukraine began over two years ago, raising expectations of possible further purges.
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