kyiv, which denies any desire to use such a weapon, and its Western allies fear that such accusations will serve as a pretext for Moscow to escalate the conflict or for the use of nuclear weapons by Russia, whose leaders have repeatedly threatened to do so if there was a significant threat.
Vladimir Putin attended on Wednesday from a control room this training of Russian strategic deterrence forces, that is to say troops responsible in particular for responding to the threat in the event of nuclear war. If this type of exercise is carried out periodically, this one intervenes in full Russian offensive in Ukraine.
“Under the leadership of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Vladimir Putin, the land, sea and air strategic deterrent forces conducted training and practical launches of ballistic and cruise missiles were carried out,” the Kremlin said.
Russian television showed the crew of a submarine preparing to launch a missile from the Barents Sea in the Arctic. The exercise also involved Tu-95 long-range aircraft.
“The tasks set during the strategic deterrence training exercise were completed in full, with all missiles hitting their target,” the Kremlin continued.
– “Existing threat” –
Shortly before these maneuvers, Russia reiterated to China and India its accusations that Ukraine was preparing to use a “dirty bomb”, a weapon consisting of conventional explosives surrounded by radioactive materials intended for dissemination. during the explosion.
During a conversation with Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe, his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu expressed his “concerns related to possible provocations by Ukraine with the use of a dirty bomb”.
Russia had first advanced these accusations on Sunday during telephone conversations between Sergei Shoigu and his American, French, British and Turkish counterparts.
Mr Shoigu raised the same “concerns” during a call with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh.
Ukraine and the West have denounced “absurd” and “dangerous” allegations and suggested that Russia was itself preparing for an escalation on the battlefield, where its troops have suffered a series of defeats since September.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov assured Wednesday that Russia has information about an “existing threat” of Ukraine’s use of a “dirty bomb” and that kyiv is “preparing for such a terrorist act of sabotage”.
“We will continue to make our case vigorously with the international community to encourage it to take active steps to prevent such irresponsible behavior,” Peskov added.
Russian officials have repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons to defend territories that Moscow has claimed for annexation in Ukraine, including Kherson in the south, where the next battle is expected.
The Russian occupation authorities in Kherson announced on Wednesday that they had evacuated 70,000 civilians in a week from this city transformed into a fortress to face the coming Ukrainian assault.
Elsewhere on the front line, at least seven people have been killed and 13 injured in the past 24 hours, according to the count of the Ukrainian presidency.
Russia has stepped up strikes on Ukrainian electricity infrastructure in recent weeks, causing power cuts in many cities, including kyiv.
The operator Ukrenergo thus continued for the second consecutive day the restrictions in electricity for the companies and the private individuals.
kyiv also announced on Wednesday a new prisoner exchange with Moscow involving 10 Ukrainian soldiers. Russia also returned the body of American volunteer Joshua Alan Jones, killed in action in August.
