![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/chilling-moment-putin-fires-ballistic-missiles-in-massive-nuclear-attack-drill/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Plain-no-tabbing-88.jpg&description=CRAZED VLADIMIR Putin watched on as his Russian forces launched a barrage of ballistic and cruise missiles in the "Operation Thunder" exercises. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the drills were intended to simulate a massive nuclear strike by Russia in retaliation for a nuclear attack on its soil. The Kremlin said that all tasks set for the exercise were fulfilled and all the missiles that were test-fired reached their designated targets. It comes as Russian forces are digging in for the "heaviest of battles" in occupied territory as the Kremlin looks to defend the largest city under its control in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin's ailing forces in the region have been driven back in recent weeks and risk being trapped on the west bank of the Dnipro River where the city of Kherson lies -which has been under occupation since the early days of the Ukraine war. Read our Ukraine-Russia live blog below for the latest updates... Russian-installed authorities have been encouraging residents to flee to the east bank of Kherson, but Oleksiy Arestovych, adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said there was no sign that Russian forces themselves were preparing to abandon the city. "With Kherson everything is clear. The Russians are replenishing, strengthening their grouping there," Arestovych said in an online video late on Tuesday. "It means that nobody is preparing to withdraw. On the contrary, the heaviest of battles is going to take place for Kherson." Pentagon spokesman Air Force General Pat Ryder said: "The US was notified" of Russia's nuclear drill. He added: "And as we've highlighted before, this is a routine annual exercise by Russia. "And so in this regard, Russia is complying with its arms control obligations and transparency commitments to make those notifications, and so that is something that we will continue to keep an eye on." Giorgia Meloni's government took office over the weekend, and she recently made a statement about the war in Ukraine. 'G){kind=link}
VLADIMIR Putin watched on as Russian forces launched a barrage of ballistic missiles in a chilling ‘nuclear attack’ drill.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the drills were intended to simulate a nuclear strike by Russia in retaliation for a nuclear attack on its soil.
The Kremlin said that all tasks set for the exercise were fulfilled and all the missiles that were test-fired reached their designated targets.
It comes as Russian forces are digging in for the “heaviest of battles” in occupied territory as the Kremlin looks to defend the largest city under its control in Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin’s ailing forces in the region have been driven back in recent weeks and risk being trapped on the west bank of the Dnipro River where the city of Kherson lies -which has been under occupation since the early days of the Ukraine war.