Russia simulates massive nuclear strikes in drills, exits test ban treaty

Russia conducted drills of Strategic Nuclear Forces, Rossiya 24, the Russian state-run TV channel, reported on 25 October. During the drills, Russia's Strategic Nuclear Forces practiced "a massive nuclear strike in response to an enemy attack," the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. Rossiya 24 TV channel showed the footage of the drills, which involved "forces and means of the ground, sea, and air components of the nuclear deterrent forces," Sergei Shoigu said. The Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces reportedly carried out practical launches of ballistic and cruise missiles. Russia reportedly launched the Yars intercontinental ballistic missile from the Plesetsk state test spaceport at the Kura test site in Kamchatka (Russia's Far East). At the same time, the Tula nuclear submarine reportedly launched the Sinyava ballistic missile from the Barents Sea. Tu-95MS long-range aircraft were also involved in the training, launching air-launched cruise missiles, Sergei Shoigu said. Russia's National Defense Control Center controlled practical launches. The announcement of the nuclear drills coincided with the completion of the procedure for withdrawing the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) in the Russian parliament. Earlier today, the upper house Federation Council unanimously approved a bill revoking the ratification of the CTBT. The lower house of the Russian parliament (Duma) passed the bill last week. The CTBT is an international treaty envisioning the banning of nuclear weapons tests and any other nuclear explosions. The UN General Assembly adopted the treaty in 1996. Since then, the treaty has been signed by 186 countries and ratified by 177. Related:

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