Russia raises nuclear readiness: Iskander missile system in focus
The Russian Ministry of Defence stated that its forces have equipped mobile Iskander-M launch systems with nuclear warheads and have loaded them.
In a statement reported by state media, the ministry said that these units had been trained to transport the weapons to launch sites without being detected, as part of a large-scale nuclear weapons exercise.
The ministry added that the nuclear forces participating in the drills raised their combat readiness to the highest level in preparation for the possible deployment of nuclear weapons.
The exercises included operational and tactical training missions, including the receipt of special munitions intended for the Iskander-M tactical ballistic missile system, as part of preparations for missile launch operations.
The drills also involved ensuring the delivery of nuclear munitions to field storage points located in the operational areas of missile brigades, simulating scenarios for the practical use of these systems.
These exercises are among the largest Russian military drills in terms of scale, involving more than 64,000 military personnel and over 7,800 pieces of military equipment, including more than 200 missile launch platforms, 140 aircraft and helicopters, 73 surface vessels, and 13 submarines, including eight strategic nuclear submarines carrying ballistic missiles.
The exercises also included joint training and the use of nuclear weapons stationed on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, as part of the strategic military cooperation between Moscow and Minsk within the framework of the shared regional security system.
These drills come in the context of strengthening the deterrence capabilities of the Russian armed forces and ensuring their readiness to respond to various potential security scenarios, according to repeated statements by Russian military leadership.
It is worth noting that the Iskander-M system is one of the most advanced Russian missile systems, featuring high precision and the ability to carry either conventional or nuclear warheads, with a range of up to 500 kilometres, making it a key element of Russia’s military deterrence arsenal.
