Russia orders tactical simulation drills in Russian occupied Ukrainian territory and another on Russia-Ukraine border as a “warning” against NATO’s deepening military support for Ukraine
The West has pledged its “ironclad” support to Ukraine since the day Russia declared war. Two years into the war, NATO’s support of Ukraine is as ironclad as it was pledged to be – spending millions of dollars to help Ukraine forge strong statehood against Russia’s nuclear arsenal. NATO’s deepening military support of Ukraine has clearly exasperated Moscow, who has ordered to subject two territories near Ukraine with tactical drill simulations – a direct warning aimed at discouraging NATO’s support of Ukraine.
The diktat was issued on Monday by Russia’s Defense Ministry who said President Vladimir V. Putin has ordered an exercise for missile, aviation and nuclear personnel to “increase the readiness of nonstrategic nuclear forces to carry out combat missions.”
Less impactful than strategic nuclear weapons, tactical nuclear weapons are designed for battlefield use and have smaller warheads, but the job of these drill simulations and military preparedness is to convey Moscow’s message – that it is intolerable to fighting foreign aided weapons being used by Ukraine on the battlefield. Kremlin said it came in response to comments by two European leaders that raised the prospect of more direct Western involvement in the war.
Russia’s Defense Ministry has suggested the forces to be solidified on the Southern Military District, an area that covers Russian-occupied Ukraine and part of Russia’s border region with Ukraine. The Ministry said the exercise will take place in the future.
Russia’s order in response to explicit warnings from NATO members
Non Atlantic Council few days ago, released a statement, expressing how deeply concerned the council was against Russia’s malign activities on Allied territories, including those resulting in the investigation and charging of multiple individuals in connection with hostile state activity affecting Czechia, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and the United Kingdom.
The statement was the first explicitly discharged letter of condemnation by NATO, accusing Russia of hybrid activities, which included acts of violence, cyber and electronic interference, disinformation campaigns, and other hybrid operations. Other than all the accusations which the statement pointed towards Russia, the statement also conveyed NATO’s unhindered support of Ukraine. “Russia’s actions will not deter Allies from continuing to support Ukraine.” This particular line must have knocked Russia president’s socks off, forcing him to convey a direct warning through his Monday’s order.
A recent interview with President Emmanuel Macron of France published by The Economist was circulating, in which he forwarded his future discourse of continuing sending troops to Ukraine, refusing to standby Putin’s warnings. A comment made last week by David Cameron, Britain’s foreign secretary, in which he said Ukraine was free to use British weapons to strike inside Russia. In response to his pro-Ukraine campaign, David Cameron was summoned by Russia’s Foreign Ministry to lodge Russia’s strong protest against Cameron’s statement.
“The ambassador was called upon to think about the inevitable catastrophic consequences of such hostile steps from London.” These seemingly word-of-mouth dictates could transpire into something absolutely cataclysmic, and maybe Russia’s Monday order of ramping up military personnel near Ukraine was the beginning of it. The next NATO summit in July would be key moment in deciding future of the war.
Europe chose “Russian-friendly” China to discourage Russia’s nuclear orders
Western governments have previously looked upon China, Russia’s most important international partner to de-escalate Russia’s nuclear use against Ukraine. In 2022, when Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany visited Beijing, President of China, Mr. Xi Jinping made a public statement warning nuclear weapons had no place in the war in Ukraine. A speech which resonated with Western counterparts, but only for a remote second, because a second later, huge bulk of made-in-China military equipment were seen transported to Moscow, a step condemned by leaders, globally.
Mr. Xi who is currently on his diplomatic expedition to Europe, has been revitalized to a status of an important international player capable of discouraging Russia’s growing nuclear threats, said Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union’s executive branch, after meeting Mr. Xi and Mr. Macron on Monday. “I’m confident that President Xi will continue to do so against the backdrop of the ongoing nuclear threats by Russia.”
Russia’s unobstructed movement aimed at confiscating Ukrainian territories and claiming its formidable reign over the Eastern Europe clan can generate mounting disturbances for its neighboring European countries. But NATO’s obstruction in diffusing Russia’s overconfident military power can also unlock severe ruins for the entire world. The contradiction seems never-ending.
