Russian Strategic Missile Troops launch massive drills in Siberia
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Russia’s Strategic Missile Troops have kicked off large-scale military drills in Southern Siberia, nearly a month after test-firing a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that renewed a missile dispute with the US.
More than 4,000 servicemen and 400 pieces of military hardware, including the Topol-M ICBM mobile launchers, were taking part in the exercise, the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday.
Russian supersonic fighter jets were also participating in the drills, which were expected to fuel an ongoing missile row between Russia and the US.
The US has long been accusing Russia of violating the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) between Washington and the former Soviet Union, which went into effect in 1991 and expired in 2009.
The treaty banned the two sides from deploying more than 6,000 nuclear warheads atop a total of 1,600 ICBMs and bombers.
