A Russian train managed by a nuclear-arms-wielding military division was seen moving through central Russia in video circulating social media, raising concerns about an escalation as the war in Ukraine rages on.
The train is run by the 12th Main Directorate, which is involved with the storage and maintenance of nuclear weapons, and was seen moving in the direction of Ukraine in a video posted to a pro-Russian Telegram channel, the Telegraph reported.
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“Does that mean that this video shows preparations for a nuclear release? Not really. There are other more likely explanations. 1) It could be a form of signaling to the West that Moscow is escalating 2) Russian RVSN forces usually train extensively during autumn,” military analyst Konrad Muzyka wrote on Twitter.
Does that mean that this video shows preparations for a nuclear release? Not really. There are other more likely explanations. 1) It could be a form of signalling to the West that Moscow is escalating 2) Russian RVSN forces usually train extensively during autumn 2/3
— Konrad Muzyka – Rochan Consulting (@konrad_muzyka) October 2, 2022
A senior U.S. military official reiterated to reporters on Monday the United States has “seen nothing to compel us to change our [nuclear] posture.” However, Russia has spurred concerns over recent weeks about its nuclear stockpile as it continues to incur setbacks on the battlefield in neighboring Ukraine.
In tandem with reports of the train’s movements out of central Russia, NATO has reportedly warned its members that a Russian nuclear-powered submarine, Belgorod, has moved from its spot in the Arctic harbor.
The submarine is reportedly armed with Poseidon nuclear torpedoes that can create “nuclear tsunamis” near coastal regions, Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported. The submarine’s disappearance has prompted concerns that Russia is gearing up to test its powerful weapons system.
Belgorod entered service in July and is thought to be one of the largest submarines in the world, the New York Post reported. Western officials believe Russia may conduct testing in the Kara Sea.
Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin spooked the West when he pledged to defend the “territorial integrity of our Motherland” by “all the means at our disposal.” His comments were interpreted as a nuclear threat.
Other top Russian figures such as Putin’s attack dog Ramzan Kadyrov have openly toyed with the prospects of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine, though Russian officials such as spokesman Dmitry Peskov have walked that back.
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Putin recently signed an agreement to annex four regions in eastern Ukraine. During a signing event, Putin blasted the U.S. for creating a “precedent” for deploying nuclear weapons during World War II. The U.S. has prodded Russia to tone down its rhetoric.
Russia was recently forced to pull back from the eastern city of Lyman, which is located in the Donetsk region that Russia recently annexed.
