Russia: Nuclear Retaliatory Strike Drills Completed

According to Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, the exercise included retaliatory nuclear strike drills to practice a massive counterattack against the enemy.

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Shoigu said the drills overseen by Russian President Vladimir Putin have tested "the readiness of Russia's strategic offensive forces to carry out a massive nuclear strike in response to an enemy nuclear attack."

A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome and a Sineva ballistic missile was launched from the Barents Sea at the Kura test site in Kamchatka. 

The exercise also involved two Tu-95MS long-range aircraft firing cruise missiles. The Kremlin said all tasks were completed fully and all missiles hit their targets.

This came amid warnings from Russia about Ukraine's plans to detonate a dirty bomb. Concerns about Kiev's intention to use a radioactive weapon have been raised with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has briefed his counterparts from the UK, France and Turkey, including U.S. Secretary of State Lloyd Austin, on the matter.

Russia's concern has been rejected by the United States and Western countries, with Ukraine calling it "absurd."