Russian military practices raising nuclear-capable units to highest combat readiness

Russia’s military has practiced raising nuclear-capable units to the highest levels of combat readiness during ongoing strategic nuclear forces drills, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

The exercises included the delivery of nuclear munitions to field storage points in missile brigade deployment areas, the ministry said in a statement.

"Personnel of missile units are carrying out training tasks involving the receipt of special warheads for the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system, equipping carrier missiles with the munitions and covertly moving to designated launch positions in preparation for missile launches," it said.

The drills involve more than 64,000 military personnel and over 7,800 pieces of military hardware, including more than 200 missile launchers, over 140 aircraft, 73 surface ships and 13 submarines, among them eight strategic missile submarines.

The ministry added that the exercises also include joint training on the preparation and possible use of nuclear weapons deployed on the territory of Belarus.