Russians claim to have tested delivery of tactical nuclear weapons with training munitions

Russia's Ministry of Defence has announced that during an exercise of non-strategic nuclear forces, the Russian military delivered training nuclear warheads to storage points and to an airfield, where they were loaded onto bombers.

Source: Radio Liberty

Details: The 12th Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defence, which protects, maintains and transports Russia's nuclear weapons arsenal, said in a statement that the exercise would be "analysed for improvement".

Quote: "The Nuclear Directorate ensured the delivery of training nuclear munitions to the field storage points of the missile brigade's position area and the operational airfield of the attack aircraft. Together with our Belarusian colleagues, we prepared and delivered missiles in special equipment and suspended aircraft munitions from carrier aircraft.

Based on the results of the exercise... areas for further improvement of training of non-strategic nuclear forces will be identified in order to guarantee the fulfilment of tasks under different scenarios of the military-political situation."

Background:

• On 11 June, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced the start of the second stage of exercises of non-strategic nuclear forces with the participation of Belarus.
• According to the statement, at this point the Russian and Belarusian military should work out joint preparation for the combat use of non-strategic nuclear weapons.
• During the first stage of the exercise, which began on 21 May, the Russian military practised the use of Iskander systems and their covert movement to the area of missile launches. Belarus began testing tactical nuclear weapons on 7 May.

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