READ HERE: On Tuesday Russia launched a massive exercise of the country’s nuclear forces. The drills were ordered by President Vladimir Putin, notably just days before the US election. “Today we are conducting another exercise of strategic deterrence forces,” he announced.

Putin in a video call with top defense officials detailed that the drills simulate using nuclear weapons, and featured practice launches of nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles, as cited in The Associated Press via Russian media.

He further declared that the country’s strategic forces remain a “reliable guarantor of the country’s sovereignty and security.”

“Taking into account growing geopolitical tensions and emerging new threats and risks, it’s important for us to have modern strategic forces that are always ready for combat,” he said, emphasizing that nuclear weapons remain “the ultimate, extreme measure” of ensuring Russia’s national security.

“We will work out the actions of officials to control the use of nuclear weapons with practical launches of ballistic and cruise missiles,” Putin described. However, he also cautioned that “I want to stress that we aren’t planning to enter into a new arms race.” But included in the exercises were confirmed ballistic and cruise missile launches, with the Kremlin declaring that “all goals were achieved” successfully in the drills.

The Russian president observed the drills from the Kremlin’s situational center via video conferencing, state media confirmed in a press release.