Russia conducts strategic nuclear forces drill

China

Russia conducts strategic nuclear forces drill

2025-10-23 14:01 Last Updated At：15:07

Russia conducted a strategic nuclear forces exercise overseen by President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said Wednesday.

According to an official statement, the training involved all three components of Russia's nuclear triad in the land, sea and air. During the exercise, practical launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and air-launched cruise missiles were carried out.

The exercise involved the launch of a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile from the Plesetsk State Test Cosmodrome toward the Kura range in Kamchatka, and a Sineva ballistic missile from the strategic nuclear-powered submarine Bryansk in the Barents Sea.

Also, Tu-95MS long-range bombers took part in the drills, firing air-launched cruise missiles.

The training tested the level of readiness of Russia's command and control structures, as well as the practical skills of operational personnel in managing their assigned units, the Kremlin said, adding that all training tasks have been completed.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday that NATO's hostile actions might ignite direct conflict between nuclear powers, and Russia is compelled to respond with military-technical measures to NATO countries' aggressive policies.

He also noted that currently, there are no conditions for Russia and the United States to cooperate in the field of nuclear non-proliferation.

Russia expands blacklist of EU members in response to latest sanctions

Russia has largely expanded the blacklist of European Union (EU) officials banned from entering the country in response to Brussels' 20th sanctions package against Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

The EU continues its attempts to pressure Russia by scaling up unilateral restrictive measures, the ministry said in a statement, adding that Brussels' destructive actions grossly violate the norms of international law.

"We have also imposed restrictive measures against civil society activists and academics in European countries who hold hostile positions toward Russia, as well as members of national parliaments of EU member states and the European Parliament who voted in favor of anti-Russian resolutions and bills," said the statement.

Russia has also barred entry to representatives of European institutions and EU member states involved in decisions on providing military aid to Ukraine, it added.

European Council President Antonio Costa said on Thursday that the EU has approved a 90-billion-euro loan package for Ukraine, along with a 20th round of sanctions against Russia.