Russia warns the U.S. it will start nuclear exercises THIS WEEK as Biden says Putin will be making a ‘serious mistake’ if he uses a ‘dirty bomb’ – and can’t guarantee if it’s a ‘false flag operation’
- Russia has informed the U.S. it is holding its annual Grom military exercises
- The annual exercises involve maneuvers of its strategic nuclear forces
- They come against a backdrop of extreme tensions over Ukraine
- Russia claims Ukraine is preparing to use a ‘dirty bomb’ on its own soil
- In return, President Joe Biden warned Moscow against escalating the conflict
- ‘It would be a serious, serious mistake’ to use tactical nukes, he said
Russia has formally told the United States that it is about to start exercises with its nuclear forces, officials said Tuesday, at a time of heightened tension over Ukraine amid claims and counterclaims that one side or the other was planning to use a dirty bomb.
To underscore the high stakes, President Joe Biden warned Moscow it would be making a serious mistake if it chose to use tactical nuclear weapons.
It follows alarm that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready for one last brutal roll of the dice as his forces face setbacks in Ukraine.
Moscow has claimed, without evidence, that Ukraine is preparing to use a ‘dirty bomb’ – a conventional explosive packed with radioactive material – on its own soil as part of a false-flag operation to blame Russia.
Against that backdrop, Russia announced it is about to start its ‘Grom’ exercises – Russian for ‘thunder’ – which will likely include test launches of ballistic missiles.
‘The U.S. was notified and, as we’ve highlighted before, this is a routine annual exercise by Russia,’ spokesman Air Force Brigadier General Patrick Ryder told a news briefing.
‘So in this regard, Russia is complying with its arms control obligations and its transparency commitments to make those notifications.’
The annual maneuvers typically include more than 10,000 service personnel, hundreds of launchers and more than 100 aircraft.
This year they come with added baggage.
At the White House, Biden was asked about worries Russia was preparing to use battlefield nuclear weapons.
‘Russia would be making an incredibly serious mistake for it to use a tactical nuclear weapon,’ he said after getting an updated coronavirus booster shot.
‘I’m not guaranteeing you that it’s a false flag operation yet. I don’t know.
‘But it would be a serious, serious mistake.’
Meanwhile, Russia continued making its case. It took its claims to the United Nations Security Council.
