Vladimir Putin has staged nuclear drills with his road-launched intercontinental Yars missiles in a forest in western Siberia. The 7,500-mile range of the missiles means they would be capable of striking Britain or anywhere in Europe.
According to the Daily Mail, The test comes just hours after Russia’s former president and current head of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, issued the Kremlin’s nuclear threat, warning of the end of the ‘existence of mankind’ if Moscow is punished for war crimes. A statement from the Russian defense ministry said today: ‘Over 100 pieces of hardware are taking part in the exercise.
‘Launch vehicles of the Yars road-mobile missile systems of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces’ Novosibirsk Missile Formation have trained redeployment during a scheduled drill. ‘Launch vehicles of the Yars road-mobile missile systems of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces’ Novosibirsk Missile Formation have trained redeployment during a scheduled drill.
They trained in killing mock saboteurs, reconnoitering the launch area, and in passing through ‘contaminated’ areas, said the defense ministry. Putin put his nuclear forces on alert earlier in the war with Ukraine and regular drills continue to be held.
Russia has not abated in its nuclear saber-rattling, with Putin’s allies regularly threatening the West with annihilation. Medvedev today warned the International Criminal Court (ICC) should refrain from attempting ‘legally void’ actions against Russia.
The savage invasion of Ukraine continues to leave behind a litany of alleged war crimes, including the repeated shelling of civilians, accounts of rape and torture, summary executions, and use of banned cluster munitions.
Medvedev, who was Putin’s stand-in president between 2008 and 2012, said on Telegram today: ‘The idea of punishing the country that has the largest nuclear potential is absurd in itself. And potentially threatens the existence of mankind.’ He then accuses the US of trying to ‘sow chaos and destruction’ through the ICC, branding the Western superpower a ‘daredevil or an idiot’.
