At the annual board of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, which takes place with the participation of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, head of department Sergey Shoigu announced large-scale nuclear exercises "Thunder", which will be held soon.
However, it is a whole cycle of exercises, tests and maneuvers. According to the Minister of Defense, at 2019 will be "18.5 thousand. various exercises and trainings, including the Center-2019 strategic command and staff exercises and the Thunder strategic nuclear forces exercises ”.
Wherein, Minister of Defense noted, that to date, plans to equip strategic nuclear forces with the latest weapons, and this enables guaranteed nuclear deterrence. By the way, the number of the latest weapons in the strategic nuclear forces is 82%.
By the way, "Thunder" was announced in the fall 2018 of the year, as part of a whole cycle of all kinds of exercises and maneuvers, which should reveal the degree of combat readiness of all branches of the Russian troops. Exactly then, at the next board of the Moscow region, Vladimir Putin said, that a possible US withdrawal from the short- and medium-range missile treaty "could lead to the collapse of the entire arms control system and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction".
clear, that now the liberal public will again begin to scream in panic about the "nuclear maniac" Putin, who wants to start a global war. but, this public, rather short memory. The thing is, that the upcoming “Thunder” is a peculiar response to the resonant American nuclear exercises “Global Thunder”, which the USA spent in November 2017 of the year.
These teachings, with a focus on the nuclear component, held in the states annually. But it was precisely in the fall of 2017 that they had a pronounced political background. As a number of military analysts wrote, that conditional Russia was chosen as a “potential adversary” at that time.
Furthermore, in December of the same 2017, at the end of the Global Thunder, the US Department of Defense in its Nuclear Review report actually stated, what is ready to launch a preventive nuclear strike there, where it will be beneficial to the States. but, making a reservation, that in the case of Russia and China, such strikes are not rational.
clear, that reference to "rationality" and "not rationality", as arguments against or for a nuclear strike from the States - this is a very weak argument. Which needed to be reinforced, including the new strategic arms of Russia.
The poet, almost simultaneously with the USA, at 2017 year in Russia, team exercises were held with the launch of missiles from the ranges of Kamchatka and Arkhangelsk. Vladimir Putin was directly involved in the exercises., and the legendary "nuclear suitcase". However, in scale it was far from the American "Global Thunder", a, rather, albeit large-scale, but a routine nuclear war check.
As for the upcoming Thunder, the, he, like other exercises of this kind, it fits completely into the national defense doctrine of the country. Especially, that the United States intended to withdraw from the Treaty on short and medium-range missiles. And this is perceived at the political level, as another round of tension in relations between Russia and the United States.
by the way, Interestingly, In addition to the Global Thunder, NATO-sponsored U.S. noon exercises use nuclear weapons, stationed in Germany and Belgium. And this is about two hundred rockets. Well, last year’s teachings “Saber Strike”, which passed in close proximity to the western Russian borders, too, generally, do not discharge the situation. As well as the stay of the US Navy in the Black Sea.
Russia in this regard, of course, modestly, our military bases with nuclear missiles, no in Central, nor even in South America. More and more peaceful atom in the form of nuclear power plants. And the Russian military presence in other states initiates its military presence only after all official coordination with these same states at the highest level.
by the way, whatever the US, the fact of such large-scale and ambitious teachings, shows, that the armed forces of the Russian Federation are ready for the most serious external challenges.
