Russia Notifies US of Nuclear Drills
Russia has notified the United States about its plans to carry out annual military exercises using strategic nuclear forces.
Both the Pentagon and State Department said on Tuesday that Russia had complied with the terms of the last US-Russia arms control agreement in notifying Washington of the upcoming drills, code-named Grom.
Under the New START Treaty, both sides are obliged to provide advance notification of military exercises involving nuclear weapons.
“The US was notified,” Pentagon spokesman Air Force General Pat Ryder said. “And as we’ve highlighted before, this is a routine annual exercise by Russia. And so in this regard, Russia is complying with its arms control obligations and transparency commitments to make those notifications, and so that is something that we will continue to keep an eye on,” he said.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said the notification was “important” in reducing the risk of “misperception” amid mounting fears Moscow may go nuclear in the Ukraine conflict.
“These notification measures ‘do’ ensure that we are not taken by surprise and reduce the risks of misperception,” he said.
US officials had been expecting the annual exercises for several weeks.
The Pentagon and State Department spokespersons did not give further information about the notification.
The Grom, or Thunder, nuclear exercises typically involve large-scale maneuvers of strategic nuclear forces, including live missile launches, a senior military official said earlier this month.
The annual drills come amid the Russian military campaign in Ukraine. Moscow has said previously that it would use nuclear weapons to defend itself if necessary.
Earlier this month, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters that the US-led forces would “monitor” the Russian exercises and “will remain vigilant not least in light of the veiled nuclear threats and the dangerous nuclear rhetoric we have seen from the Russian side.” The exercise will ensure NATO’s nuclear deterrence capabilities “remain safe, secure and effective.”
Meanwhile, Russia has claimed that Ukraine is plotting to use a “dirty bomb” on its own territory, a move the Kremlin says could lead to nuclear retaliation.
Russia’s Grom exercises also coincide with the US-led NATO nuclear exercise code-named “Steadfast Noon.” The annual exercise, which is hosted by Belgium this year, takes place from October 17 to October 30, and involves 14 countries. The exercise involves the participation of fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets as well as US B-52 long-range bombers.
Source: Press TV