Russia has conducted a 16-hour doomsday mission involving nuclear-capable strategic bombers in the Barents and Norwegian Seas, directly north of the United Kingdom, while a senior Kremlin figure reportedly advocated for the use of atomic weapons.
Nuclear Wargame Details
Vladimir Putin's military deployed Tu-160 supersonic strategic bombers, known by the NATO reporting name 'Blackjack', for a nuclear war simulation in neutral waters. The Russian defence ministry confirmed that the bombers were escorted by MiG-31 aircraft and practised in-flight refuelling during the exercise. The Norwegian Air Force intercepted and tracked the Russian aircraft, with NATO F-35 fifth-generation fighters also involved in the operation.
The Tu-160 is the largest and heaviest combat aircraft ever to enter operational service, capable of carrying up to 45 tons of weapons internally, including both nuclear and conventional long-range cruise missiles.
Geopolitical Context
The Norwegian Sea lies directly north of Shetland, the UK's most northerly island group, placing the drill in close proximity to British waters. The exercise took place amid heightened tensions as Putin continues his war in Ukraine, with no signs of de-escalation.
According to political analyst Andrey Kolesnikov, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov advocated for the use of nuclear weapons at a closed meeting of the Council on Foreign and Defence Policy. Kolesnikov reported that Lavrov, who has served as foreign minister for 22 years, said: 'Well, I would still use them,' when asked about nuclear weapon use.
Lavrov's Nuclear Stance
Kolesnikov expressed surprise at Lavrov's position, noting that the foreign minister belongs to a generation that grew up with Soviet ideas that there are no winners in a nuclear war and that escalation leads to the destruction of humanity. 'How can people from this generation believe that nuclear weapons can be used in a limited manner? Well, frankly, for me, it's another mental and psychological mystery,' Kolesnikov said.
Earlier this month, Lavrov stated that nuclear war was possible if the West refused to meet Putin's demands for ending the war in Ukraine, which include significant territorial concessions. 'This state of affairs poses serious threats to global security. A direct confrontation between NATO and Russia could rapidly escalate into an exchange of nuclear strikes, with catastrophic consequences,' Lavrov warned.
Ukraine Conflict Developments
Overnight, Ukraine continued to strike Russian positions in and around annexed Crimea, with oil terminals and military facilities ablaze. A resurgent Kyiv believes it is weakening the Russian grip on the Black Sea peninsula, where the summer tourist season has been virtually cancelled due to chronic petrol and diesel shortages and regular blackouts. Russia was forced to close the £3 billion Crimean Bridge amid fears of a strike on the crossing.
