Vladimir Putin on Thursday described the use of nuclear weapons as a 'last resort' measure, following the conclusion of major joint nuclear drills with Belarus involving tens of thousands of troops and advanced weaponry. The three-day exercise, which began on Tuesday, included 64,000 troops, over 200 missile launchers, more than 140 aircraft, 73 surface warships and 13 submarines, eight of which were armed with nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Putin claimed that Russia's nuclear arsenal acts as a guarantor of sovereignty, even as European leaders condemned the drills as provocative amid heightened tensions with NATO. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that any attack on the alliance would incur a 'devastating' response. The UK Senior Military Advisor, Colonel Joby Rimmer, said the exercises reflected how Russia had 'repeatedly employed irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and coercive signalling' during its war in Ukraine.
The drills coincided with a surge in Ukrainian drone strikes, including an attack on Moscow's suburbs that killed three people and damaged buildings. These strikes have made it harder for the Kremlin to portray the conflict as distant from Russian civilians. Russia's Defence Ministry said the exercise focused on the 'preparation and use of nuclear forces under the threat of aggression'.
Putin has repeatedly emphasised Russia's nuclear capabilities since launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In 2024, he adopted a revised nuclear doctrine that lowers the threshold for potential nuclear use, particularly in response to a conventional attack supported by a nuclear power. This revision is seen as a warning against Western support for Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory with longer-range weapons.
The drills also involved cooperation with Belarus, an ally that hosts Russian nuclear weapons, including the latest intermediate-range Oreshnik missile system. Moscow has accused Baltic states of allowing Ukraine to use their airspace to attack northern Russia, a claim NATO denies. The Baltic states, strong backers of Ukraine, counter that Russia is redirecting Ukrainian drones into their airspace.
