Ukrainian spies reported that Russia has begun exercises of its nukes -
including all elements of the nuclear triad, submarines, missiles and
warplanes.

The nuclear forces are reportedly on the "highest levels of combat
readiness".

And the exercises were reportedly carefully planned to coincide with
Biden's trip to Europe.

Kyiv also added that Russia's central command system "Monolith" - which
liaises between the top generals and missile forces - conducted a
readiness check.

"Monolith" was a code word used by the Soviet military to denote highest
priority messages.

And it also claimed a nuclear missile submarine was given a mock combat
order to fire.

Strategic bombers and top commanders have also reportedly been moved to
Tambov air base - which is around 300 miles south of Moscow and 300
miles northeast of Ukraine.

"Russia is starting large-scale exercises of strategic nuclear forces on
the eve of US President Joe Biden's visit to Europe."

The spectre of nuclear escalation has hung over the war in Ukraine -
with Russia often swinging its nuclear sabre.

But as the conflict stalled and devolved in bloody trench warfare over
the winter, there has been less discussion of nukes.

However, last week it was reported Vlad has sent nuclear armed warships
into the Arctic for the first time in 30 years.

Putin has at his fingertips one of the largest nuclear arsenals in world
- with a stockpile of around 6,000 warheads, including 1,600 ready for
action.

And it's long been suggested Vlad could use the threat of nukes to force
capitulation from Ukraine - or actually detonate one of the weapons to
break the deadlock.

Vlad using a nuke during the war would be the first time such a weapon
has been used in combat since the US dropped two bombs on Japan in 1945.

Moscow's war doctrine is believed to be open to using nuclear weapons in
a conventional conflict as an intimidation tactic - and use of such a
weapon must be signed off personally by Putin.

The tactic became known as "escalate to de-escalate".

Moscow has previously practiced such strategies in the field - such as
simulating a Nato attack on the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.

The scenario saw the Russian forces strike back at the invading West by
firing nuclear arms at Poland and the US.

And these drills are believed to have taken place in the nineties, with
tactical nukes used for both offense and defense.

Air raid sirens could be heard ringing around Kyiv as Biden arrived in
the Ukrainian capital to meet Zelensky.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/21446970/putin-nuke-forces-highest-alert-biden/