Russia holds strategic nuclear exercise

Russia has successfully concluded a strategic nuclear exercise, with all missiles hitting their targets, says the Russian defense ministry.

Russian President Vladimir Putin oversaw the exercise via video link, which involved practical ballistic missile launches, according to the Kremlin.

The defense ministry said all objectives of the exercise were fulfilled, with all missiles hitting their targets and testifying their specified characteristics.

Putin said that Russia will not engage in an arms race, but the use of nuclear weapons is an "extreme, exceptional measure to ensure state security." It is important to have modern strategic forces that are constantly ready for combat use, he said.

During the exercise, the Russian army launched a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in northwest Russia to Kamchatka.

Russian submarines fired Sineva and Bulava ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles were launched from strategic bombers, the defense ministry said.

(Source: Reuters)

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