Moscow, October 22, 2025: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday personally supervised large-scale exercises of the country’s nuclear forces that tested capabilities across land, sea and air, Kremlin media reported, in a show of strategic readiness as the war in Ukraine continues.
The Kremlin said the drill evaluated “the preparedness of the military command and the practical skills of operational personnel in organising control of subordinate forces” and that “all tasks were successfully completed.” State media footage and official statements said the exercise included the launch of a land-based Yars intercontinental ballistic missile from a cosmodrome, a Sineva ballistic missile fired from a submarine in the Barents Sea, and the launch of nuclear-capable cruise missiles from strategic bombers — demonstrating Russia’s full nuclear triad.
Russia frequently stages such exercises to signal deterrence and demonstrate the readiness of its strategic forces amid sustained tensions with the West over the Ukraine conflict. The Kremlin framed Wednesday’s drills as routine operational checks; Western officials and analysts, however, view them in the broader context of geopolitical signalling.
At the same time, NATO has been conducting its annual nuclear readiness exercise, Steadfast Noon, involving roughly 60 aircraft — including F-35A fighters and B-52 bombers — across Belgium and the Netherlands.
Diplomatically, U.S. President Donald Trump has been reported to press Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to consider Moscow’s proposals for freezing the frontline as a prelude to negotiations. Zelensky described the idea of a freeze-and-negotiate approach as a “good compromise” while expressing scepticism about whether President Putin would genuinely engage.
The Kremlin said preparations are under way for a second summit between Trump and Putin following their August 15 meeting in Alaska, signalling continued diplomatic outreach even as military posturing persists.
