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| Russia Launches Ballistic Missile During Nuclear Exercise |
Moscow - Russia launched a ballistic missile as part of a nuclear drill it held on Wednesday (10/26/2022). The exercise was observed directly by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The drills are the latest in a series of escalating comments from Moscow and Putin that the eight-month conflict in Ukraine could turn nuclear.
"Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, training sessions were held with land, sea and air strategic deterrence forces, during which the practical launch of ballistic and cruise missiles took place," the Kremlin said in a statement.
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Russian state media carried footage of a submarine crew preparing to launch the Sineva ballistic missile from the Barents Sea in the Arctic. The drills also included the launch of a test missile from the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia's Far East.
Footage of the drills in state media came after Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu urged a phone call to his counterparts globally, claiming that Ukraine was developing a "dirty bomb". Shoigu, who has made this claim in recent days to colleagues from NATO countries, repeated it to his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe. Shoigu, Moscow said, also voiced the same "concern" on the phone with Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh earlier on Wednesday.
Ukraine has dismissed the allegations as preposterous and dangerous, pointing out that the claims could cover up Russia's own plans on the battlefield, as do its Western allies including Britain, France and the United States.
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Dirty bombs are conventional bombs mixed with radioactive, biological or chemical materials that are dispersed in the explosion. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia had information relating to an existing threat from Ukraine using "dirty bombs" and that Kiev was preparing terrorist-like acts of sabotage.
"We will continue to vigorously bring our point of view to the world community to encourage them to take active steps to prevent such irresponsible behavior," he added. Russia's nuclear rhetoric began to build on in September, when Moscow said it was annexing four areas of Ukraine over which its forces had partial control. Putin warned Russia could use nuclear weapons to defend it.