WORLD Putin monitors drills intended to simulate a "massive nuclear strike" by Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday monitored drills of the country's strategic nuclear forces involving multiple practice launches of ballistic and cruise missiles in a show of force amid the heightened tensions with the West over the conflict in Ukraine.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin that the exercise was intended to simulate a "massive nuclear strike" by Russia in retaliation for a nuclear attack on Russia.

The maneuvers followed Putin's warning about his readiness to use "all means available" to fend off attacks on Russia's territory in a clear reference to the country's nuclear arsenals.

During Wednesday's drills, a Yars land-based intercontinental ballistic missile was test-fired from the northern Plesetsk launch site. A Russian nuclear submarine in the Barents Sea launched a Sineva ICBM at the Kura firing range on the far-eastern Kamchatka Peninsula.

As part of the exercise, Tu-95 strategic bombers also launched cruise missiles at practice targets.