Putin supervises Russian nuclear readiness test, emphasizes ‘planned command and control exercise’

Russia’s nuclear forces carried out a readiness test on Wednesday, supervised by President Vladimir Putin. The maneuvers included launches from land, sea, and air to assess the operational readiness of the country’s nuclear arsenal.

“Today, we are conducting a planned — I want to emphasize, planned — nuclear forces command and control exercise,” Putin said during a video conference with the Kremlin’s top military leadership, CNN reported.

Missiles and bombers in action

Videos shared by the state-owned military TV channel Zvezda showed a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile fired from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia and a Sineva ballistic missile launched from the Bryansk nuclear-powered submarine in the Barents Sea, the news outlet stated, adding Tu-95MS long-range bombers were also deployed air-launched cruise missiles, citing Russia’s defense ministry.

The drills tested the readiness of military command-and-control systems and operational skills, with all objectives reportedly met. Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the military’s General Staff, said the exercises were designed to “practice procedures for authorizing the use of nuclear weapons.”

Stalled Putin-Trump meeting

The nuclear readiness test came hours after US President Donald Trump said his planned meeting with Putin in Budapest was on hold, citing concerns that it would be a “waste of time.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that any summit “needs to be thoroughly prepared.”

“No one wants to waste time: neither President Trump nor President Putin,” Peskov said. “These are the two presidents who are accustomed to working efficiently with high productivity. But effectiveness always requires preparation.”

New START Treaty and nuclear concerns

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov highlighted the importance of the New START treaty, which limits the number of deployed nuclear weapons. “If the US rejects the New START proposal, there will be a total vacuum in the area of nuclear weapons limitations and a growing nuclear threat,” Ryabkov said. He added that “Russia must be convinced of the US administration’s sustainability in abandoning its hostile course.”

Putin has expressed willingness to extend the treaty by one year if Trump agrees, ahead of its expiration on February 5, 2026. The treaty, signed in 2010 by former US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, limits both sides to 1,550 deployed warheads and 800 launchers and bombers.

NATO exercises and rising nuclear tensions

The Russian drills follow NATO nuclear exercises earlier this month, which involved over 70 aircraft from 14 allied nations, including F-35 fighter jets and B-52 bombers, in the Steadfast Noon exercise in Belgium and the Netherlands.

“We need to do this because it helps us to make sure that our nuclear deterrent remains as credible, and as safe, and as secure, and as effective as possible,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said.