Russia Holds Nuclear Drills, Ukraine Seeks Swedish Fighter Jets
Russia said on Wednesday it had carried out a major training exercise involving nuclear weapons, a day after the United States announced a delay in plans for a second summit between presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump on the Ukraine war.
The Kremlin released video showing General Valery Gerasimov, head of the General Staff, reporting to Putin on the drills. Russia said it fired missiles from ground launchers, submarines and aircraft, including intercontinental ballistic weapons that are capable of striking the United States, Reuters reported.
At key moments in the war in Ukraine, Putin has issued reminders of Russia’s nuclear might as a warning signal to Kyiv and its allies in the West. NATO has also been conducting nuclear deterrence exercises this month.
In a separate development, Sweden said it had signed a letter of intent to export Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, as European governments move to boost Kyiv’s defenses in a war that has ground on for three years and eight months, and shows no sign of ending soon.
Ukrainian pilots have been in Sweden to test the Gripen, a rugged and relatively low-cost option compared to aircraft such as the US F-35.
“We have started the work to obtain Gripens… and expect the future contract to allow us to acquire no less than 100 such jets,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said during a visit to Swedish defense manufacturer Saab. Kyiv aims to receive and start using them next year, he said.
