Putin watches first Russian nuclear drill since invasion of Ukraine

Vladimir Putin has overseen yearly atomic exercises by Russia's strategical atomic forces astatine a clip of heightened tensions with the West implicit his eight-month-long warfare successful Ukraine.

Ballistic and cruise missiles were launched successful the Far East and Arctic, the Kremlin said.

The US was told astir the drill nether the presumption of the New Start arms treaty.

The launches took spot arsenic Russia makes unsubstantiated claims that Ukraine is plotting to usage a "dirty bomb".

It is an explosive instrumentality mixed with radioactive worldly and the Russian allegations person been wide rejected by Western countries arsenic false.

And Kyiv has warned that the claims bespeak Moscow itself could beryllium preparing specified an attack.

Ahead of the exercise, subject officials successful Washington pointed retired that successful notifying the US the Russians were complying with arms power obligations.

Nato is besides staging its ain atomic exercises, dubbed Steadfast Noon, successful north-western Europe.