NATO nuclear war games start TODAY: US B-52 bombers to fly over UK, Belgium and North Sea

NATO today began military drills practising the use of Europe’s nuclear bombs after Vladimir Putin threatened to use any means necessary to defend Russian territory in the face of setbacks in Ukraine. 

US B-52 long-range bombers and up to 60 aircraft will take part in training flights over Belgium, the UK and the North Sea today as part of NATO’s annual nuclear exercise ‘Steadfast Noon’.

The nuclear drills – which do not involve live bombs – come after Vladimir Putin said that a direct clash between NATO and Russian troops would lead to ‘global catastrophe’.

The bulk of the war games will be held at least 625 miles from Russia‘s borders.

Belgium is hosting the drills that will involve 14 countries and up to 60 aircraft, including the most advanced fighter jets on the market and U.S. B-52 long-range bombers that will fly in from Minot Air Base in North Dakota. Pictured: A B-52 bomber from the 2nd Bomb Wing of Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, right, flies with Royal Saudi Air Force F-15s during a mission in the Middle East in January

NATO today began military drills practising the use of Europe’s nuclear bombs after tensions soared with Russia. Pictured: Soldiers of UK contingents take part in the Bold Hussar military exercise, at the Central Training Area near Tapa army base in Estonia, on October 12, 2022. Bold Hussar is a military practice exercise of the Estonian Defence Forces and NATO allied units

Fourteen of NATO’s 30 members will take part in the exercises, with around 60 aircraft including fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear warheads and surveillance and refuelling planes conducting training flights.

U.S. long-range B-52 bombers will also take part in the manoeuvres after flying in from Minot Air Base in North Dakota. 

The exercises, which will run until October 30, were planned before Putin ordered Russian troops into Ukraine in February. Russia usually holds its own annual manoeuvres around the same time, and NATO is expecting Moscow to exercise its nuclear forces sometime this month.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has rejected any calls to scrap the drill after Putin ratcheted up his nuclear rhetoric as his troops lose ground in Ukraine.

‘It would send a very wrong signal if we suddenly now cancelled a routine, long-time planned exercise because of the war in Ukraine,’ Stoltenberg said last week.

‘We need to understand that NATO’s firm, predictable behaviour, our military strength, is the best way to prevent escalation.’

NATO says it has seen no change in Russia’s nuclear posture despite the tougher language from the Kremlin.

‘But we remain vigilant,’ Stoltenberg said.

NATO’s nuclear war games comes as Russia attacked the centre of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv during morning rush hour with kamikaze drones on Monday and shelled other cities around the country.

Five explosions were reported in the city starting around 6.30am local time, the BBC reported, as the drones managed to dodge air defence systems with police resorting to using rifles to try and shoot them down. 

Astonishing images capture the moment a suicide drones dives towards the streets of Kyiv (left) and the moment people run for shelter after it explodes (right)

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A ball of smoke and flames rises over the streets of Kyiv as the city is bombarded by a swarm of Iranian-made kamikaze drones early on Monday, hitting residential areas and energy infrastructure

This is the second time in a week that Russia has unleashed strikes across Ukraine while its forces face setbacks on the battlefield.

An official in Ukraine’s presidential office said three people were killed in an attack on a residential building in Kyiv. Black smoke poured out of the windows of a blasted building and emergency service workers toiled to douse flames.

Ukraine said the attacks were carried out by Iran-made ‘suicide drones’, which fly to their target and detonate. 

Smoke billows from the ruins of a building in Kyiv destroyed by a suicide drone after the city was attacked early on Monday, as Russian forces continue to target the Ukrainian capital

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the drones strikes were aimed at ‘terrorising the civilian population’ but vowed: ‘The enemy can attack our cities but it won’t be able to break us.’

Russia’s defence ministry said it had carried out a ‘massive’ attack on military targets and energy infrastructure across Ukraine using high-precision weapons.

It comes a week after a huge barrage of Russian missiles and Iranian-made kamikaze drones targeted virtually every major Ukrainian city, destroying infrastructure and killing civilians after a blast on the Crimean Bridge.

Russia has continued striking cities and infrastructure since then – albeit at a lower intensity – having apparently changed tactics in the war after a humiliating series of defeats on the battlefield.