Moscow: 95% of Nuclear Launchers Ready for Combat Employment, Any Ukrainian Provocation to Be Suppressed

By Staff, Agencies

The Russian nuclear triad deals with the tasks of deterring a potential enemy and over 95% of the ground-based strategic nuclear forces’ launchers are ready for combat employment, Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov said on Thursday at a briefing in front of the military attachés of foreign states.

He also warned of an escalating situation in eastern Ukraine.

"The ground-based strategic nuclear forces have over 95% of launchers constantly ready for combat employment," Gerasimov said at a briefing for foreign military attaches.

Efforts continue to rearm the Russian Strategic Missile Force with Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles [ICBMs] and place new Avangard hypersonic missile systems on combat alert, the military chief said.

"Another nuclear-powered underwater cruiser armed with Bulava ballistic missiles will enter service with the seaborne strategic nuclear forces in the immediate future," Gerasimov specified.

He then said that "work continues to modernize strategic missile carriers of the airborne strategic nuclear forces to enable them to employ advanced long-range precision missiles."

"As a whole, the Russian nuclear triad provides for the fulfillment of deterrence tasks. At the same time, the strategic nuclear forces are developing in strict compliance with the international commitments defined by the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms [the New START]," Gerasimov said.

He also stressed that "in the current situation, the Russian Federation continues planned activities for bolstering the defense capability that rules out any possibility of impairing the country’s security."

Meanwhile, and amid the escalating situation in eastern Ukraine, Gerasimov warned that any provocations of the Kiev authorities to resolve the situation in Donbass by force will be suppressed.

“The supply of helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and aircraft to Ukraine is pushing the Ukrainian authorities to take drastic and dangerous steps. Kiev does not fulfill the Minsk agreements.

As a result, the already tense situation in the east of this country is aggravated, Gerasimov added.

At the same time, he noted that information about the allegedly impending Russian invasion of Ukraine is a lie.

“The NATO countries pay excessive attention to the movement of troops across the territory of the Russian Federation. The redeployment of units during combat training is a routine practice for the armed forces of any state. Military activity is carried out on national territory and does not require notification. Information circulating in the media about the allegedly impending Russian invasion to Ukraine is a lie,” Gerasimov said.