BRUSSELS (Archyde.com) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to use nuclear weapons, and the country’s nuclear forces are expected to soon conduct a large-scale exercise called Grom. This leaves the United States and its allies with the critical task of knowing for sure whether Russia intends to move in earnest or if it is merely an exercise.
Russia has traditionally held large-scale nuclear exercises around this time of year, and Western experts expect this year to begin in the next few days. Senior U.S. officials said the exercises were likely to include test-fires of various ballistic missiles.
But this year, with Mr. Putin publicly voicing the use of nuclear weapons to defend Russian territory against the backdrop of the prolonged fighting in Ukraine, some Western officials have speculated that Russia is deliberately threatening itself through exercises. We are wary of the possibility of trying to blind our intentions.
A Western official told Archyde.com: “That’s why Russia doesn’t want to dare to be particularly radical when it comes to conducting nuclear exercises, because by doing so, we , because of the extra burden of making sure that what you see in action or what actually happens is normal exercise or something else.”
Still, the official said he had “high confidence” in the West’s ability to make such decisions.
At a press conference in Brussels, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg assured NATO that the annual Russian exercise would be closely monitored, as it has been for decades.
Kirby, coordinator for strategic public relations at the US National Security Council (NSC), said that Russia’s strategic nuclear operations forces would be deployed on a large scale at Grom, including live missile launches, but that they were “routine”. pointed out. “Russia probably believes that this exercise will improve its power projection capabilities, especially in light of recent events. We know,” he said, adding that the United States would “monitor” the situation.
A senior Pentagon official said he expected the Russian exercises to coincide with NATO’s planned nuclear deterrence exercise Steadfast Noon, which began next week. It is extremely irresponsible to refer to nuclear weapons and decide to conduct this exercise.It is also irresponsible to threaten the United States and its allies by brandishing nuclear weapons.”
So far, there is no evidence that Mr. Putin is preparing for a concrete nuclear strike. But over the past month, the rhetoric about nuclear weapons coming from Russia has grown stronger as Ukraine’s counterattack has worked.
Most recently, Putin unilaterally announced the annexation of four Ukrainian states and threatened to use nuclear weapons to defend “Russian territories.” A senior NATO official, meanwhile, said on Wednesday that NATO would “physically respond” to a nuclear attack by Russia.
U.S. Defense Secretary Austin said after a meeting of NATO defense ministers on Wednesday that he had not seen “signs or alarms” prompting a change in the U.S. nuclear posture.
The last time Russia held a large-scale nuclear force operation exercise was in February this year, just before it invaded Ukraine. At the time, it was believed that this was intended to discourage Western support for Ukraine.
The Western official also said that the Russian exercises are meant to test “how much the political leadership has the ability to control and give orders to its nuclear forces, and whether they will obey those orders.” Explain.
According to the official, Russia is expected to release various scenes from the exercise and use them effectively to intimidate foreign countries. “They’re going to be sending out messages that touch on the use of nuclear weapons during the exercises, so that they can use the exercises to gain a strategic communication advantage,” he said.
NATO’s nuclear deterrence exercises were scheduled before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and have been held at this time every year for more than a decade. Fourteen countries will participate, and fighter planes capable of carrying nuclear warheads and the US strategic bomber B-52 will also be deployed. No live ammunition is used.
The Pentagon official said, “We will continue our routine activities to maintain our (nuclear) deterrence, but we have no intention of sending a special message. Threatening us with nuclear weapons is reckless and irresponsible. Russia.” may choose to play that game, but we will never do that.”
(Reporter by Phil Stewart)