Intimidation instead of diplomacy: expert reveals the essence of Putin’s nuclear exercises
22 October 15:23
ANALYSIS FROM 
Russia has once again demonstrated its nuclear muscle. During large-scale exercises personally supervised by Vladimir Putin, the Russian Armed Forces conducted a series of strategic missile launches. During the tests, the Russian military launched the Yars intercontinental ballistic missile from the Plesetsk cosmodrome to the Kura test site in Kamchatka, as well as the Sineva sea-based ballistic missile from the Bryansk nuclear submarine in the Barents Sea. In addition, Tu-95MS strategic bombers practiced launching cruise missiles. The Yars intercontinental missile is one of the most modern in the Russian arsenal. Its range reaches up to 12,000 kilometers, and the warhead can carry up to six nuclear warheads. The launch of such a missile demonstrates Russia’s potential ability to hit targets on any continent.
The submarine-launched Sineva ballistic missile has a range of up to 11,000 kilometers and can also be equipped with nuclear warheads. This is the main weapon of Russia’s nuclear-powered submarines. By the way, the Kremlin presents these exercises as “planned.” In fact, according to military expert Oleg Zhdanov, this is classic intimidation — a show of force designed to put pressure on the West and impose its own conditions.
He said this in a commentary to "Komersant Ukrainian".
“This is intimidation. Further intimidation of the West, especially in the context of Lavrov saying that these agreements that Donald Trump wants there do not correspond to the agreements that were reached between Putin and Trump during a telephone conversation.
And we know that our president has also made efforts to convince Trump to stop firing on the line of contact. And our partners support this,” noted Oleh Zhdanov.
However, as the military expert emphasized, Russia is not satisfied with this: when there are no political arguments, the “nuclear club” is used.
“But this does not suit the Russian Federation. And how can you argue your position? Only by waving the nuclear stick. This is a common tactic of the Russian Federation. If there is nothing else, then what? We take out the nuclear club,” he summarized.
As a reminder, Russia has practiced the use of land, sea, and air components of its strategic nuclear forces under the leadership of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
