Russia announces nuclear weapon drills after angry exchange with Western officials
ABC NewsMay 06
Russia Announces Nuclear Drills, Blames 'Provocative' Western Remarks
Image copyright: Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Russia on Monday said it would soon hold military exercises that included practice for the preparation and deployment of tactical nuclear weapons, blaming "provocative statements and threats of certain Western officials."
Though Russia's nuclear forces regularly hold exercises with such weapons — which are intended for battlefield use and are not as powerful as conventional nuclear warheads — it was the first time that Russia publicly announced plans to hold such drills.
The Spin
Pro-Russia narrative
Despite Russia's warnings, the West continues to escalate the conflict by suggesting that NATO troops will be stationed in Ukraine, and by allowing it to strike in Russian territory — hundreds of miles from where the conflict is taking place. Russia had no choice but to respond to these Western provocations.
Nerd narrative
There is a 12% chance that there will be a global thermonuclear war by 2070, according to the Metaculus prediction community.