President Vladimir Putin has ordered large-scale strategic nuclear exercises across Russia, featuring intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and strategic bombers. These significant military maneuvers coincided with the postponement of a planned summit between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, which was intended to discuss the situation in Ukraine.
The Kremlin emphasized that these exercises, designed to test nuclear command and control protocols, were scheduled in advance. During the drills, a Yars ICBM was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, and a Sineva ICBM was deployed from a submarine in the Barents Sea. Additionally, Tu-95 strategic bombers participated by launching long-range cruise missiles.
Chief of the General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, reported to President Putin that the exercises effectively simulated the procedures for authorizing the use of nuclear weapons. This demonstration of readiness occurred shortly after President Trump announced the delay of his Budapest meeting with Putin, citing a desire to avoid a “waste of time” without proper preparation. The summit’s postponement followed discussions between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, where disagreements over an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine were apparent. Kremlin officials stressed that productive presidential meetings require thorough preparation.