Russia conducts massive exercise of its naval nuclear forces

MOSCOW — The Russian military says it has conducted a massive test of the nation’s strategic nuclear forces involving multiple missile launches.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday’s maneuvers featured launches of ballistic missiles by the navy’s nuclear submarines from the Barents Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk.

As part of the drills, long-range bombers also fired cruise missiles, the ministry said, adding that all missiles hit their designated practice targets.

Russia’s early warning system successfully spotted and tracked all launches, officials said.

Navy’s top officer warns of increased Russian and Chinese activity in the Atlantic Ocean

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson said in a Voice of America interview that Russian sub activity in the North Atlantic is at a level unseen in 25 years.

Geoff Ziezulewicz

August 8, 2018

The Defense Ministry noted that the exercise offered a chance to test the chain of command from its main control room down to military units.

The drills are the latest in a series of Russian war games conducted amid spiraling tensions with the West.