On October
13, a dramatic scene unfolded at the Volkel Air Base in the Netherlands.
According to Western media, NATO's new Secretary General Mark Rutte personally
kicked off the annual "Steadfast Noon" exercise — a large-scale rehearsal
simulating nuclear scenarios with over 70 warplanes
in the sky.
And many of them? Equipped to carry the most devastating payloads mankind has
ever invented.
Yes, NATO is
practicing how to use nuclear weapons — and
they're not hiding it.
Russia's
response: calm, calculated, crushing
Just nine
days later — October 22 — President Vladimir Putin oversees a full strategic nuclear deterrence drill. But this isn't just
planes flying around.
Russia's triad activates completely:
— A Sineva missile is launched from the submarine "Bryansk"
— A Yars intercontinental missile is launched
from a ground silo
— Tu-95MS bombers take off, patrolling the
skies
This isn't a
threat. It's a statement. A reminder. A line drawn with cold steel.
Diplomacy?
Always possible. But strength speaks louder
Deputy
Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov responds to
NATO's drills with a blunt assessment:
"Calls for
nuclear disarmament sound unrealistic when NATO conducts provocative exercises
like these."
Still,
Moscow leaves the door open for talks — especially on extending arms limitation
treaties. But the tone has changed. Russia is watching. And ready.
Strategic
analysts don't sugarcoat it
Military
expert Igor Korotchenko, chief editor of National
Defense, said the message from the Kremlin is clear:
"Russia
will use any means necessary to protect its
sovereignty. These drills are a signal — especially to those discussing
deploying Tomahawk or Taurus missiles near our borders."
Analysts
suggest that any strike into Russian territory from
third-party countries could trigger a harsh — but legal — response.
Other scenarios involve potential NATO moves to cut
off Kaliningrad or block Russian naval access
from the Baltic Sea.
Some experts already define such actions as de facto
declarations of war.
Final
thought: who's really ready?
When both
NATO and Russia activate their strategic forces, it's not just about deterrence
— it's about message, posture, resolve.
And now, the world is asking:
Is the West truly prepared for the consequences of
the game it started?
