Vladimir Putin orders tactical nuclear drills, warns western military structures are targets

In a sudden escalation of tensions, Vladimir Putin warns western military targets are fair game if Ukraine uses British missiles to attack Russian soil.

A Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launcher parades through Red Square during a Victory Day military parade in central Moscow. Picture: AFP

Vladimir Putin has ordered immediate nuclear weapons drills to “cool Western hotheads” in a sudden escalation of tensions with the West.

The Russian president authorised a series of snap tactical nuclear weapons drills in response to “provocative” comments made by British foreign secretary David Cameron and the French president Emmanuel Macron.

NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah said the move was “dangerous and irresponsible”, saying NATO was remaining vigilant.

Ukraine’s Military Intelligence agency spokesman, Andrii Yusov, said on national television: “Nuclear blackmail is a usual practice of Putin’s regime; it does not constitute major news.”

Putin’s move comes two years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and on the eve of both his inauguration of a fifth term in office and Russia’s WWII commemoration, Victory Day.

Tactical nuclear weapons are battlefield munitions including warheads for short-range missiles and artillery munitions.

Russia’s defence ministry announced on Monday that the Southern Military District, which borders eastern Ukraine, will hold tactical nuclear weapon drills “to practice the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons”.

In the statement, the defence ministry says: “We hope that this event will cool down the ‘hotheads’ in Western capitals”.

The Kremlin also summonsed British ambassador Nigel Casey on Monday and told him Moscow will retaliate against British targets in Ukraine or other western military targets if Ukraine uses British-provided missiles to strike Russian territory.

Putin’s anger is in response to remarks made by the British foreign secretary David Cameron, who said that Ukraine has the right to use long-range missiles sent by the UK to strike deep inside Russia.

“Ukraine has that right (to decide whether to use British weapons to strike inside of Russia),’’ Lord Cameron said.

“Just as Russia is striking inside Ukraine, you can quite understand why Ukraine feels the need to make sure it’s defending itself.”

Britain has committed A$6bn a year to help Ukraine, including precision-guided bombs, air defence missiles and equipment for 100 mobile air defence teams to enable Ukraine to shoot down Russia’s drones and missiles.

Mr Macron has also repeatedly said that French military could be used sent to Ukraine. In his most recent comments Mr Macron said the issue of putting French boots on the ground would “legitimately” arise if Russia broke through Ukrainian front lines and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky made such a request.

Russia claims the comments by both countries – if put in practice – are tantamount to deploying NATO weapons and forces against them.

“An answer to a Ukrainian strike on Russia using British weapons would be made against any British military facilities or equipment in Ukraine and beyond,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said striking Russia with NATO missiles and deploying NATO forces to Ukraine were red lines that should not be crossed.

He added: “They were talking about being prepared and even intending to send armed deployments to Ukraine, which is essentially putting NATO soldiers against the Russian military.

“This is a completely new round of escalating tensions. It is unprecedented and requires special measures.”

Russia’s foreign office insisted Lord Cameron’s statements were “evidence of a serious escalation and confirmation of London’s increasing involvement in military operations on the side of Kyiv”.

The British ambassador was told to “think about the inevitable catastrophic consequences of such hostile steps from London and to immediately refute in the most decisive and unequivocal manner the bellicose provocative statements of the head of the Foreign Office.”

The Russian news agency TASS said the nuclear drills would take place in the near future involving missile formations, and air and naval forces.