Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov reported to President Vladimir Putin that a massive nuclear strike in response to an enemy nuclear attack was practiced during a nuclear deterrence forces drill, according to a video published by the Ministry of Defense.
"In accordance with the training plan of the Russian Armed Forces, under your leadership, a drill is being conducted to manage the Armed Forces, during which tasks for delivering a massive nuclear strike by strategic forces in response to an enemy nuclear strike will be practiced," he said.
Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported to the president on the procedure for conducting the drill.
The ministry reported that all maneuvers were completed in full, with all missiles reaching their targets, confirming the specified characteristics.
"A readiness check was conducted for military command bodies, and skills were tested for senior and operational personnel in organizing the management of subordinate troops," the ministry noted.
"A launch of the Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was carried out from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome targeting the Kura training site. From the maritime area of the Barents Sea, the Novomoskovsk nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine cruiser and the Knyaz Oleg nuclear-powered submarine cruiser from the Sea of Okhotsk launched the Sineva and Bulava ballistic missiles," the ministry said in a statement.
The Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers also took part in the exercise, the ministry added.
"The tasks envisioned during the training of the strategic deterrence forces have been fully accomplished; all missiles have reached their targets, confirming their specified characteristics," the statement read.
As Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov clarified, the recent maneuvers were a regular and scheduled event.