Pentagon: Russia informs US of nuclear drills
Date
10/28/2022 6:04:01 AM
(MENAFN) The Pentagon has confirmed that Russia has formally notified US authorities of its intention to undertake yearly nuclear deterrent exercises alongside NATO's ongoing 'Steadfast Noon' nuclear drills.
“The US was notified and, as we’ve highlighted before, this is a routine annual exercise by Russia,” Air Force Brigadier General Patrick Ryder claimed on Tuesday.
The US military offered no additional information but knew that Russia “is complying with its arms control obligations and its transparency commitments to make those notifications.”
The Russian Defense Ministry has yet to issue an official comment on the planned exercise's timing and magnitude. Such drills often include extensive testing of both nuclear and non-nuclear weapons to ensure the preparedness of strategic deterrent forces and the full chain of command. Russia recently conducted a similar practice in February, just days before it started its military action in Ukraine.
The statement comes amid the ongoing 'Steadfast Noon' nuclear drills, which will take place over Belgium, the North Sea, and the United Kingdom until October 30. NATO has also called the drills "normal" and "unrelated to any current international developments," while emphasizing that no live weapons will be deployed. Steadfast Noon features 60 aircraft of various sorts from 14 NATO member states, including cutting-edge fighter fighters, observation and tanker planes, and US B-52 nuclear-capable strategic bombers.
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