“Nuclear? Dangerous and irresponsible.” The exercise of discord –

«Russia’s nuclear rhetoric is dangerous and irresponsible. NATO remains vigilant.” NATO spokeswoman, Farah Dakhlallah, did not mince her words in commenting on the order given by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, to carry out maneuvers with tactical nuclear weapons “shortly”. The spokeswoman for the Atlantic Alliance highlighted that NATO’s collective deterrence and defense position “will continue to guarantee the protection of every centimeter of allied territory”.

The exercises announced by Moscow, in which the air force and navy will participate, might take place on Ukrainian territory, since the southern military district includes the four occupied Ukrainian regions (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia). The Kremlin explained that the maneuvers are the response to the threatening statements of, among others, French President Emmanuel Macron, who once once more insisted to the Economist that he did not rule out sending NATO troops to Ukrainian territory.

The Russian Foreign Ministry meanwhile also summoned the ambassadors of the United Kingdom and France to warn the former that if Ukraine uses British weapons to attack Russia, Moscow will strike British military targets in Ukraine “and beyond” and the latter to stigmatize the “increasingly belligerent declarations” from Paris which “are leading to an escalation of the conflict”. Explaining what the exercises will consist of, the Russian Defense Ministry said that “a series of measures will be taken to prepare for the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons.” It is a clear reference to tactical nuclear weapons, designed for use on the battlefield. Meanwhile on the ground, Moscow has seized territory in eastern Ukraine and stepped up airstrikes and bombings on border regions as Kiev’s forces await the arrival much-needed US military aid.