All posts tagged: drills

China Holds Huge Military Drills From ‘Multiple Directions’ Around Taiwan

China Holds Huge Military Drills From ‘Multiple Directions’ Around Taiwan

Published by skeptic

China on Tuesday launched major combined forces exercises around Taiwan as a “stern warning” in the wake of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s pledge to counter “China’s aggression” on his first visit to Asia, as well as alleged recent ‘separatist’ statements by Taiwan President Lai Ching-te. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) army, navy, air force and rocket force are involved in the drills, which seek to “close in” on the self-ruled island  from “multiple directions” and practice maneuvers including “assault on maritime and ground targets” and “blockade on key areas and sea lanes.” China’s Shandong aircraft carrier sailing near Taiwan on Monday, March 31, 2025. Taiwan Ministry of National Defense via AP “It is a stern warning and forceful deterrence against ‘Taiwan Independence’ separatist forces, and it is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity,” a PLA Eastern Theater Command statement said. At least 20 Chinese warships and 50 jets were involved in the drills, the biggest in many months – and since early last year – to which Taiwan’s military responded …

Russia to Hold Drills on Tactical Nuclear Weapons in New Tensions With West

Russia to Hold Drills on Tactical Nuclear Weapons in New Tensions With West

Published by Sam

Russia said on Monday that it would hold military exercises with troops based near Ukraine to practice for the possible use of battlefield nuclear weapons, a provocative warning aimed at discouraging the West from deepening its support for Ukraine. These weapons, often referred to as “tactical,” are designed for battlefield use and have smaller warheads than the “strategic” nuclear weapons meant to target cities. Russia’s Defense Ministry said that President Vladimir V. Putin had ordered an exercise for missile, aviation and naval personnel to “increase the readiness of nonstrategic nuclear forces to carry out combat missions.” The announcement of the exercise was Russia’s most explicit warning in its more than two-year invasion of Ukraine that it could use tactical nuclear weapons there. The Kremlin said it came in response to comments by two European leaders that raised the prospect of more direct Western intervention in the war. The exercise, the Defense Ministry said, would involve forces of the Southern Military District, an area that covers Russian-occupied Ukraine and part of Russia’s border region with Ukraine. …

Russia announces nuclear drills, lashing out in anger at West

Russia announces nuclear drills, lashing out in anger at West

Published by Sam

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a sharp message on the eve of his inauguration for a fifth term in office, planning tactical nuclear drills as the Kremlin accused Western leaders of escalating tensions over the Ukraine war and hauled in the ambassadors of Britain and France for a dressing-down. As Putin met with members of the government Monday while preparing to begin his new term, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced it would stage nonstrategic nuclear missile drills in the near future. Russia’s Foreign Ministry also summoned the British and French ambassadors for a scolding, sending a tough message about Russia’s hardening approach to the West. Source link

Russia threatens UK military and orders nuclear drills after ‘provocation’ | Russia

Russia threatens UK military and orders nuclear drills after ‘provocation’ | Russia

Published by skeptic

Russia has threatened to strike British military facilities and ordered its military to hold battlefield nuclear weapons drills in a move the Kremlin described as a response to comments from the French president, Emmanuel Macron, on western troops fighting in Ukraine and from the British foreign secretary, David Cameron, on using British-supplied weapons against Russia. The Russian defence ministry said in a statement that troops from the southern military district would “practise the issues of preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons … in response to provocative statements and threats by certain western officials against the Russian Federation.” The announcement came days after Macron said he would “not rule out” the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine and Cameron said it was up to Kyiv how it used British weapons, including against targets inside of Russia. The UK ambassador, Nigel Casey, and his French counterpart in Moscow were summoned by the Kremlin on Monday. The Russian foreign ministry issued a formal protest to Casey over Cameron’s recent statements that Ukraine had the right to use …

Russia plans nuclear drills over the West’s deepening role in Ukraine

Russia plans nuclear drills over the West’s deepening role in Ukraine

Published by skeptic

WASHINGTON —  Once again, Russian President Vladimir Putin is seemingly rattling the nuclear saber. But why now? The Kremlin, citing recent comments by Western leaders regarding the war in Ukraine, said Monday that it would soon carry out simulated use of battlefield, or tactical, nuclear weapons — marking the first time Moscow announced such an exercise. The announcement drew a sharp response. U.S. Defense Department spokesman Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder called it “entirely inappropriate.” NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah termed Moscow’s plans “dangerous and irresponsible,” and the European Union called on Russia to “stop the escalation.” Like so many pronouncements from Moscow, this one’s timing might matter as much as its substance. This week holds two red-letter days for Putin: his inauguration on Tuesday to yet another presidential term after an unsurprising landslide election win in March, coupled with Thursday’s traditionally bombastic Victory Day celebrations commemorating the Soviet victory over the Nazis. It is commonplace for nuclear powers such as Russia — or the United States, for that matter — to conduct checks of their weapons stockpiles. …

Putin orders tactical nuclear weapon drills to deter the West

Putin orders tactical nuclear weapon drills to deter the West

Published by skeptic

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during а meeting of the Federal Assembly’s Council of Legislators in Saint Petersburg, Russia, April 26, 2024. Alexey Danichev | Via Reuters Russia said on Monday it would practise the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons as part of a military exercise after what the Moscow said were threats from France, Britain and the United States. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Russia has repeatedly warned of rising nuclear risks – warnings which the United States says it has to take seriously though U.S. officials say they have seen no change in Russia’s nuclear posture Russia says the United States and its European allies are pushing the world to the brink of confrontation between nuclear powers by supporting Ukraine with tens of billions of dollars of weapons, some of which are being used against Russian territory. Russia’s defense ministry said it would hold military drills including practice for the preparation and deployment for use of non-strategic nuclear weapons. It said the exercises were ordered by President Vladimir Putin. “During …

Russia to practice tactical nuclear weapon scenario in drills to deter West

Russia to practice tactical nuclear weapon scenario in drills to deter West

Published by skeptic

NUCLEAR RISKS Since the war began, Russia has repeatedly warned of rising nuclear risks – warnings which the United States says it has to take seriously though US officials say they have seen no change in Russia’s nuclear posture. Putin has faced calls inside Russia from some hardliners to change Russia’s nuclear doctrine, which sets out the conditions under which Russia would use a nuclear weapon, though Putin said last year he saw no need to change the doctrine. Broadly, the doctrine says such a weapon would be used in response to an attack using nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction, or the use of conventional weapons against Russia “when the very existence of the state is put under threat”. Putin warned the West in March that a direct conflict between Russia and the US-led NATO military alliance would mean the planet was one step away from World War Three but said hardly anyone wanted such a scenario. Russia and the United States are by far the world’s biggest nuclear powers, holding more than …

NATO Drills Show It Is Preparing for Potential Conflict With Russia, Moscow Says

NATO Drills Show It Is Preparing for Potential Conflict With Russia, Moscow Says

Published by skeptic

MOSCOW (Reuters) – NATO’s four-month long military exercises near Russia’s borders, known as Steadfast Defender, are proof the alliance is preparing for a potential conflict with Russia, a spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. The spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, dismissed accusations by NATO this week that Russia is engaged in hybrid attacks on its member states, saying this was misleading “misinformation” aimed at distracting people from the alliance’s activities. It was NATO that had waged a hybrid war with Russia by supporting Ukraine with arms, intelligence and finances, she said in a statement. “Right now, NATO’s largest exercise since the Cold War, Steadfast Defender, is taking place near Russia’s borders. According to their scenario, coalition’s actions against Russia are being practiced using all the instruments, including hybrid and conventional weapons,” she said in a statement. “We have to admit that NATO is seriously preparing for a ‘potential conflict’ with us.” Relations between Russia and the West have been at their most hostile in decades following the start of Russia’s military conflict in Ukraine in …