Putin is planning a 'NUCLEAR strategic exercise', Britain warns as Russia begins military drills with Belarus, sparking NATO warning that ‘this is a dangerous moment for Europe’

 Russia is planning to hold a nuclear strategic exercise, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on Thursday, despite extreme tensions surrounding Ukraine.

Wallace warned that the Kremlin's actions were heading in the wrong direction despite efforts to find a diplomatic solution, declaring intelligence suggested that Russia that Russia was engaging in plans for so-called 'false flag' operations as a pre-text for invading Ukraine, as well as carrying out cyber attacks and other destabilising activity.'Despite the talking, the direction of travel is in the wrong way,' Wallace told BBC Radio. 

'The Russians are still growing their battalion tactical groups... They are planning to start a nuclear strategic exercise soon, and indeed we see more activity elsewhere.'

A Russian defence source also told news agency TASS earlier this year that the nuclear exercise, known as 'Thunder', would involve all three prongs of Russia's strategic nuclear forces, testing firing procedures from land, sea and air.

Nuclear drills are held frequently in Russia, but the decision to proceed with such exercises in the face of the tension circling Ukraine will give world powers more cause for concern.

It comes as forces from Russia and Belarus launched joint military drills with an estimated 30,000 troops taking part in the 10-day war games near the Ukrainian border, in what NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has described as a 'dangerous moment'.

'We are closely monitoring Russia's deployment in Belarus, which is the biggest since the end of the Cold War,' Stoltenberg told reporters today at a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

'This is a dangerous moment for European security. The number of Russian forces is going up. The warning time for a possible attack is going down.' 

News of the planned nuclear strategic exercises comes as Russia and Belarus launched joint military drills with an estimated 30,000 troops taking part in the 10-day war games near the Ukrainian border (pictured)

News of the planned nuclear strategic exercises comes as Russia and Belarus launched joint military drills with an estimated 30,000 troops taking part in the 10-day war games near the Ukrainian border (pictured)

Vladimir Putin is applying 'psychological pressure' on Belarus's southern neighbour, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky warned as Western leaders fear the drills named Union Resolve could be a front for an imminent invasion

Vladimir Putin is applying 'psychological pressure' on Belarus's southern neighbour, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky warned as Western leaders fear the drills named Union Resolve could be a front for an imminent invasion 

The drills centre around 'suppressing and repelling external aggression' and will see troops practising scenarios such as strengthening the border against militants

The drills centre around 'suppressing and repelling external aggression' and will see troops practising scenarios such as strengthening the border against militants

'We are closely monitoring Russia's deployment in Belarus, which is the biggest since the end of the Cold War,' NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (R) told reporters today at a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (L). 'This is a dangerous moment for European security. The number of Russian forces is going up. The warning time for a possible attack is going down.'

'We are closely monitoring Russia's deployment in Belarus, which is the biggest since the end of the Cold War,' NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (R) told reporters today at a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (L). 'This is a dangerous moment for European security. The number of Russian forces is going up. The warning time for a possible attack is going down.'Vladimir Putin is applying 'psychological pressure' on Belarus's southern neighbour, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky warned as Western leaders fear the drills named Union Resolve could be a front for an imminent invasion. 

The drills centre around 'suppressing and repelling external aggression' and will see troops practising scenarios such as strengthening the border against militants and post-conflict settlement in the biggest Russian deployment to Belarus since the end of the Cold War. 

Ukraine's army is holding its own military exercises in the north of the country as it braces for a potential invasion which could come 'any day', security experts fear.

Boris Johnson, who is flying to Belgium and Poland today as part of diplomatic efforts to cool tensions in eastern Europe, warned Russia that NATO states will 'draw lines in the snow' over the crisis. 

He will meet with NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels before travelling to Warsaw for talks with president Andrzej Duda and prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki, and visiting British troops in the region. 

Putin, who has demanded sweeping security guarantees from NATO and the United States, said after Moscow would 'do everything to find compromises that suit everyone'

Putin, who has demanded sweeping security guarantees from NATO and the United States, said after Moscow would 'do everything to find compromises that suit everyone'

Long-range Tu-22M3 bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces prepare for takeoff in Belarus today

Long-range Tu-22M3 bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces prepare for takeoff in Belarus today

Combat crews of the Russian S-400 air defense system take up combat duty at the training ground in the Brest region in Belarus today

Combat crews of the Russian S-400 air defense system take up combat duty at the training ground in the Brest region in Belarus today

Troops will practise post-conflict settlement in the biggest Russian deployment to Belarus since the end of the Cold War

Troops will practise post-conflict settlement in the biggest Russian deployment to Belarus since the end of the Cold War

Foreign secretary Liz Truss is also in Moscow today for talks with her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to urge the Kremlin not to attack or face 'massive consequences' from Western sanctions.  

In a thinly-veiled warning to Truss, Lavrov said today that Western threats towards Moscow would do nothing to ease tensions over Ukraine.

'Ideological approaches, ultimatums, threats - this is the road to nowhere,' Lavrov said at the start of the talks, kicking off the latest round of diplomatic meetings aimed at de-escalating tensions over Ukraine.

Western leaders have accused Russia of massing troops around the borders of their ex-Soviet ally in advance of a possible invasion.This handout photograph taken and released by the Russian Foreign Ministry on February 10, 2022 shows Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) welcoming British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss during their meeting in Moscow

This handout photograph taken and released by the Russian Foreign Ministry on February 10, 2022 shows Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) welcoming British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss during their meeting in Moscow

Lavrov accused diplomats in European capitals and Washington of increasingly using threats and ultimatums with Russia and said the approach was undiplomatic.

Lavrov described his meeting with Truss - the first visit of a British foreign secretary to Russia since 2017 - as 'unprecedented'.

He said that if Britain wants to improve ties with Moscow, 'we will, of course, reciprocate,' adding that bilateral ties were 'at their lowest point in recent years'.

The meeting in Moscow comes ahead of another between Britain's Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu in Moscow on Friday.

In her opening remarks, Truss said Britain 'cannot ignore' the buildup of troops on Ukraine's border or 'attempts to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty'.

'There is an alternative route, a diplomatic route that avoids conflict and bloodshed,' she said.

'I am here to urge Russia to take that path,' Truss added.

The US has expressed concern over Vladimir Putin's swelling military capability close to Ukraine's border

The US has expressed concern over Vladimir Putin's swelling military capability close to Ukraine's border

The current war games have exacerbated deeply strained ties between Russia and the West

The current war games have exacerbated deeply strained ties between Russia and the West

The current war games have exacerbated deeply strained ties between Russia and the West, which accuses Moscow of massing approximately 100,000 troops around the borders of Ukraine. 

'The accumulation of forces at the border is psychological pressure from our neighbours,' Zelensky said in a statement.

 'Today we have enough forces to honourably defend our country.' 

Responding to Western concerns, the Kremlin has insisted that it has no intention of leaving the troops permanently on Belarusian territory.

The US has expressed concern over Vladimir Putin's swelling military capability close to Ukraine's border.

'Every day he adds to his options, everyday he adds to his capabilities,' said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby. 

The Western diplomatic push also sees German chancellor Olaf Scholz meeting Baltic leaders in Berlin today. 

Ahead of his meeting, Scholz said he saw 'progress' on the diplomatic front.

'The task is that we ensure the security in Europe, and I believe that that will be achieved,' he said at a joint press conference with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Wednesday.

The new German chancellor, who has been under fire over accusations that he has dithered over the crisis, will travel to Kyiv and Moscow next week for separate meetings with Ukraine and Russia's leaders, including his first face-to-face with Putin.

Striking a less optimistic note, Britain said it was ready to deploy 1,000 more troops to deal with any humanitarian crisis linked to Ukraine. 

Responding to Western concerns, the Kremlin has insisted that it has no intention of leaving the troops permanently on Belarusian territory

Responding to Western concerns, the Kremlin has insisted that it has no intention of leaving the troops permanently on Belarusian territory

Britain said it was ready to deploy 1,000 more troops to deal with any humanitarian crisis linked to Ukraine

Britain said it was ready to deploy 1,000 more troops to deal with any humanitarian crisis linked to UkraineAfter his own diplomatic travel itinerary, French President Emmanuel Macron said Putin had told him that Moscow 'would not be the source of an escalation'.

For now, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said 'diplomacy is continuing to lower tensions'. 

Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Malyar said the Russian forces on the frontier did not appear to be ready to launch an all-out assault, and were instead being used primarily 'for political pressure and blackmail' at this stage.

Less than 24 hours after a trip to Washington, Germany's Scholz stood alongside Polish leader Andrzej Duda and Macron late Tuesday to declare Europeans' unity in their goal of averting war.

Putin, who has demanded sweeping security guarantees from NATO and the United States, said after his talks with Macron that Moscow would 'do everything to find compromises that suit everyone'.

Putin has issued demands the West says are unacceptable, including barring Ukraine from joining NATO and rolling back alliance forces in eastern Europe

Putin has issued demands the West says are unacceptable, including barring Ukraine from joining NATO and rolling back alliance forces in eastern Europe

Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Malyar said the Russian forces on the frontier did not appear to be ready to launch an all-out assault

Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Malyar said the Russian forces on the frontier did not appear to be ready to launch an all-out assault

He said several proposals put forward by Macron could 'form a basis for further steps' on easing the crisis over Ukraine but did not give any details. 

At the same time as sending its military hardware to Ukraine's borders, Putin has issued demands the West says are unacceptable, including barring Ukraine from joining NATO and rolling back alliance forces in eastern Europe.

The French presidency said Macron's counterproposals included an engagement from both sides not to take any new military action, the launching of a strategic dialogue and efforts to revive the peace process for Ukraine's conflict.

It also said an agreement would ensure the withdrawal of around 30,000 Russian soldiers from Belarus at the end of joint military exercises later this month.

The Kremlin insisted it never intended to leave the troops permanently on Belarusian territory.

The West faces a tough task trying to convince a wary Zelensky to accept any compromises.

Kyiv has laid out three 'red lines' it vows not to cross: no compromise over Ukraine's territorial integrity, no direct talks with the separatists and no interference in its foreign policy.

UK stands 'shoulder by shoulder' with NATO, PM confirms
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Ben Wallace: UK troops in eastern Europe not there to 'war fight'
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