With NATO’s “Steadfast Noon” annual nuclear drills already ongoing in the North Sea region, and led by B-52 bombers from the United States, Russia has formally notified Washington it is kicking off nuclear exercises of its own.
Two US officials cited in a Tuesday CBS report say the notification from Moscow specified that the annual exercises are to include “launches of nuclear capable missiles starting Wednesday.”
The timing of the two sides holding “annual” nuclear exercises couldn’t be worse, with the Ukraine war now hitting the eight-month mark – and tit-for-tat false flag accusationscurrently being hurled between the warring parties.
Russia says Ukraine forces are preparing to unleash a “dirty bomb” which will be blamed on Kremlin forces, while Kiev has alleged the Russians are preparing a “terrorist act” using spent nuclear fuel from the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
According to more on the announced Russian exercises via the new CBS reporting:
The annual exercise has been described by U.S. officials as “routine” around this time of year but nevertheless will take place against heightened Russian rhetoric about using nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
The Russian “Grom,” or Thunder nuclear exercise, typically involves large-scale maneuvers of strategic nuclear forces, including live missile launches, a senior military official said earlier this month. Officials have expected the annual exercise for several weeks but only recently received notification from Russia.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has meanwhile said the Western military alliance will closely “monitor” the Grom drills, saying it “will remain vigilant not least in light of the veiled nuclear threats and the dangerous nuclear rhetoric we have seen from the Russian side.”
Also deeply alarming is the fact that negotiations seem a distant possibility at this point. The US position is that Ukraine must achieve “victory” – and that ceasefire dialogue with Russia is a decision for President Zelensky alone.
Russia’s military and the Pentagon just within the last days reaffirmed that they are keeping “open lines of communication” – precisely so that inadvertent escalation can be avoided.
