Russian nuclear forces conduct drills after being put on high alert

The military did not say whether the drills were linked to Mr Putin’s order on Sunday to put the country’s nuclear forces on high alert amid Russia’s war in Ukraine

A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile being launched from an air field during military drills (Russian defence ministry/AP)

Russian nuclear submarines sailed off for drills in the Barents Sea and mobile missile launchers roamed snow forests in Siberia after President Vladimir Putin ordered his nation’s nuclear forces put on high alert over tensions with the West over the invasion of Ukraine.

Russia’s Northern Fleet said in a statement that several of its nuclear submarines were involved in exercises designed to “train manoeuvring in stormy conditions”.