By Guy Faulconbridge, Mark Trevelyan
MOSCOW, May 15 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his military to practise the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons after what Moscow said were threats from France, Britain and the United States.
Why, and what will happen?
WHAT DRILLS WILL TAKE PLACE AND WHERE? Russia's defence ministry said missile forces in the Southern Military District will take part, together with aviation and the navy. The southern district, headquartered in Rostov-on-Don, lies alongside Ukraine and includes parts of Ukraine which Russia controls. Belarus will also be involved. The Russian Foreign Ministry linked the drills to what it called "militant statements" by Western officials which it said created security threats for Russia. It specifically mentioned French President Emmanuel Macron, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and the delivery to Ukraine of U.S. Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS).
Macron has floated the idea of sending European troops to fight Russia in Ukraine while Cameron said that Ukraine had a right to use the weapons provided by London to strike targets inside Russia.