Russia is holding nuclear drills in response to Biden sending rockets to Ukraine

The nuclear forces of Russia are holding drills in a region just northeast of Moscow.

The decision to begin these drills comes just one day after President Joe Biden announced his decision to send advanced missile system to Ukraine, the New York Post reported.

According to an independent news agency in Russia, around 1,000 Russian soldiers are taking part in intense maneuvers using more than 100 military vehicles, including Yars intercontinental missile launchers.

These drills are taking place in the Ivanovo Oblast, which is just under 200 miles northeast of Moscow.

The drills, which are said to be aimed at preparing Russia’s intercontinental missile systems for combat, required Russian soldiers to march more than 60 miles, camouflage sophisticated military equipment, and practice posting guard.

The training exercises also involved Typhoon-M armored counter-sabotage vehicles, which are said to be equipped with remotely operated weapon stations.

Russia’s nuclear drills commenced after Biden published an op-ed in the New York Times on Tuesday in which the president announced his administration’s intention to send anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft missiles, and precision rocket systems to Ukraine.

In the editorial, Biden said, “We have moved quickly to send Ukraine a significant amount of weaponry and ammunition so it can fight on the battlefield and be in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table.”

The president indicated that his administration’s priority of achieving a “sovereign and prosperous Ukraine” is more likely to be achieved if the U.S. provides the country with the weaponry and munitions required to dispel the invading Russian forces.

Biden wrote, “America’s goal is straightforward: We want to see a democratic, independent, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine with the means to deter and defend itself against further aggression.”

The president continued, “That’s why I’ve decided that we will provide Ukrainians with more advanced rocket systems and munitions that will enable them to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine.”

The Biden administration’s plans to send weapons are an about-face from a position just previously held by the president in which he insisted that the U.S. would not deliver any rockets to Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government does not trust Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy not to fire rockets into Russian territory.

Peskov also accused the U.S. of escalating tensions and hindering peace talks by sending additional weapons to Ukraine.

He said, “We believe that the U.S. is deliberately and diligently adding fuel to the fire. The United States is adhering to the position of fighting Russia until the last Ukrainian.”