Nuclear drills response to ‘sending troops comments’ by West: Kremlin

MOSCOW (AFP): The Kremlin said on Monday that Russia’s forthcoming nuclear drills were intended as a response to “unprecedented” comments — including by French President Emmanuel Macron — about sending NATO troops into Ukraine.

The defence ministry had announced earlier that drills, ordered by President Vladimir Putin, would be held “in the near future” in the face of unspecified Western “threats”.

“It’s obvious we are talking about statements from Mr Macron and statements from British representatives,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said when asked by reporters what had prompted the drills.

“They are talking about the readiness and even the intention of sending armed contingents to Ukraine — that is, in fact, to put NATO soldiers in front of the Russian military,” he added.

“This is a completely new round of escalating tensions. It is unprecedented and requires special measures.”

Macron said in an interview last week that the question of sending troops to Ukraine would “legitimately” arise if Russia broke through Ukrainian front lines, and Kyiv made such a request.

“I’m not ruling anything out because we are facing someone who is not ruling anything out,” Macron said, referring to Putin.

Macron had already made similar comments in February.

UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said in an interview last week that Ukraine has the “right” to strike targets inside Russia.

Ukrainian forces have been dependent on Western military aid to battle Russia, but NATO has said it will not send troops into Ukraine.