عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

Russia Says It Starts Nuclear Military Drills

This video grab from a handout footage released by the Russian Defense Ministry on May 21, 2024 shows Russia's missile forces holding a tactical nuclear weapons drills in the southern military district of the country. (Photo by Handout / Russian Defense Ministry / AFP)
This video grab from a handout footage released by the Russian Defense Ministry on May 21, 2024 shows Russia's missile forces holding a tactical nuclear weapons drills in the southern military district of the country. (Photo by Handout / Russian Defense Ministry / AFP)
TT
TT

Russia Says It Starts Nuclear Military Drills

This video grab from a handout footage released by the Russian Defense Ministry on May 21, 2024 shows Russia's missile forces holding a tactical nuclear weapons drills in the southern military district of the country. (Photo by Handout / Russian Defense Ministry / AFP)
This video grab from a handout footage released by the Russian Defense Ministry on May 21, 2024 shows Russia's missile forces holding a tactical nuclear weapons drills in the southern military district of the country. (Photo by Handout / Russian Defense Ministry / AFP)

Russian forces have started the first stage of military drills "involving practical training in the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons" in the Southern Military District, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

President Vladimir Putin gave an order earlier this month for the drills to be held.

The ministry said the first stage of the exercise involved Iskander and Kinzhal missiles.

The exercise is aimed at ensuring units and equipment are ready for "the combat use of non-strategic nuclear weapons to respond and unconditionally ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Russian state in response to provocative statements and threats of individual Western officials against the Russian Federation", the ministry said.

Most Viewed

 
 
World

UK to Use Police Stations as Prisons under Emergency Measure

Police officers are seen in London, Britain, November 27, 2024. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police officers are seen in London, Britain, November 27, 2024. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
TT
TT

UK to Use Police Stations as Prisons under Emergency Measure

Police officers are seen in London, Britain, November 27, 2024. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police officers are seen in London, Britain, November 27, 2024. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy

Police cells will temporarily be used to hold prisoners in a stop-gap measure to cope with overcrowding in jails, the British government said on Tuesday.

The emergency action, dubbed "Operation Safeguard", allows inmates to be held in police cells when prisons are full, and was previously used from February 2023 to October last year, Reuters said.

The prison population in England and Wales has doubled in the last 30 years, according to official data, leading to overcrowding as new places have failed to keep pace with demand. Justice systems in Scotland and Northern Ireland are run separately.

In a statement to parliament, Shabana Mahmood said the prison system was operating at more than 99% occupancy.

January saw the highest average monthly prison population growth in almost two years, as part of a rising trend in the last three months that "has only just begun to slow", she added.

"Given the recent increase in demand, it is necessary, and prudent, for me to temporarily reactivate Operation Safeguard to better manage the flow of offenders into the prison estate," Mahmood said.

According to the World Prison Brief database, imprisonment rates in England and Wales are higher than in other major European countries, with 141 detainees per 100,000 population, against 120 in France, 117 in Spain, 105 in Italy and 68 in Germany.