Russia Holds Mobile Nuclear Missile Launcher Drills Days Before NATO Summit In DC

Russia's Defense Ministry (MoD) announced Friday that its forces are in the midst of nuclear drills utilizing Yars mobile nuclear launchers, coming a mere weeks after holding tactical nuclear weapons deployment exercises in southern regions near Ukraine, and in coordination with ally Belarus.

As cited in Interfax and then Reuters, the ministry said that "Yars missile launcher crews in at least two different regions were set to move over 100 kilometres (62 miles) and practice camouflage and deployment."

"Similar exercises will be held by other missile units in the near future," the defence ministry added.

Video issued by the military showed a mobile launcher traveling along forest roads and getting into position before being covered with camouflage to conceal the location.

During the earlier tactical nuke drills held in late May, the MoD had specified that they were necessary in "response to provocative statements and threats by certain Western officials."

Some US and UK officials have lately been pressing for more Ukrainian attacks directly on Russian soil, with Washington officials openly saying they have greenlighted pro-Kiev forces to utilize US-supplied missiles to attack inside Russian territory.

Another among the 'threats' emanating from the West is the possibility of deploying NATO troops in Ukraine. The idea has gained steam ever since Frances Emmanuel Macron first proposed early this year at a security conference in Paris.

These newest drills with mobile nuclear launchers also constitute a bit of fresh nuclear saber-rattling ahead of next week's major annual NATO summit to be held in Washington D.C. (July 9-11).

A central topic of discussion among NATO heads of state will likely be the very issue which marks a red line issue for Moscow - the entry of Ukraine into NATO.

While it's not actually expected to happen anytime soon, the US has vowed to create a "bridge" or clear path to eventual full membership.

However, dozens of foreign policy experts have newly warned of the obvious in a letter published by Politico. "The closer NATO comes to promising that Ukraine will join the alliance once the war ends, the greater the incentive for Russia to keep fighting the war," reads the letter. "The challenges Russia poses can be managed without bringing Ukraine into NATO."