Lviv (Ukraine), 19 Feb. Ukraine’s secret service today warned that Russia was preparing to conduct ‘large-scale exercises of strategic nuclear forces’ as ‘blackmail’ on the eve of US President Joe Biden’s visit to Poland.
The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (GUR) has announced that it has confirmed that Moscow is preparing components of its nuclear forces to carry out maneuvers involving the launch of cruise and ballistic missiles.
In preparation for these exercises, the functioning of the centralized combat control system of the Russian armed forces was checked and, within the framework of this test, the nuclear forces were placed on the highest levels of combat alert, said the GUR in its press release. statement.
According to the Ukrainian secret service, the decision to carry out these maneuvers is part of an attempt to “hinder” the European visit of Biden, who will land this Monday in Warsaw during a trip which coincides with the first anniversary of the invasion. Russian from Ukraine.
Moscow’s strategy is to use “direct nuclear blackmail” to “weaken international support for Ukraine”, they concluded.
The GUR warning comes days after the Norwegian Defense Ministry’s annual report raised the possibility that Russia has transferred some of its nuclear capabilities to its Northern Fleet ships and submarines. ECE
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