Putin orders 'mass surprise drill' of 12,000 soldiers in response to Nato's two-week 'Arctic Challenge' as tensions over Ukraine increase
Moscow launched a four-day drill featuring 12,000 soldiers and 250 aircraft
Just the latest huge show of Russian military strength over the past year
Drill began on the same day as Nato and its allies launched a massive 'reassurance' operation in the Arctic
West sent 100 aircraft and 4,000 servicemen to join in aviation exercisesRussia has launched a massive 'surprise' military drill featuring 12,000 soldiers and 250 aircraft in response to two weeks of Nato exercises in the Arctic, as tensions in Europe continue to escalate.
The Russian manoeuvres - which began in the Ural mountains and western Siberia yesterday - are intended to help the military prepare for an even larger drill in September, called Tsentr-2015.
This week's drills began on the same day as Nato launched its own long-planned military exercises in the Arctic, where 100 aircraft and 4,000 servicemen from Germany, Britain, France, Netherlands and the U.S., are taking part in a Norway-led aviation exercise described as the 'largest of its kind'.
Non-Nato allies Finland, Sweden and Switzerland have also joined the so-called 'Arctic Challenge'.
After its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in March 2014, Russia has held numerous large-scale military drills checking combat readiness.
The focus of the drills is on developing a command system in field conditions as well as setting up all-round aviation security measures in new base areas.
The drills in the Central Military District have been reinforced by units from the Western and Southern military districts, the ministry added, as well as long-range aircraft.
However this week's huge show of strength has been widely interpreted as a direct response to Nato's exercises in the Arctic, which Moscow has roundly condemned as antagonistic.
For its part, Nato has insisted its own exercises do nothing more than provide reassurance to its eastern member states and non-Nato allies - including several former Soviet republics who have expressed fears that Russia may attempt to invade their territory.
Tensions between Russia and Nato countries have been dramatically heightened by the conflict in Ukraine, with the West accusing Moscow of staging a stealth invasion.
Moscow has also been accused of sabre rattling, with deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin stoking the flames ever further over the weekend by stating 'tanks don't need visas' during a national television debate on the U.S. and EU travel bans imposed on prominent Russian citizens, according to the Telegraph.
He later tweeted that the West faces no threat from Russia but instead faces 'collapse under the onslaught of ISIS and gays.'
News of the military drill comes as a top Russian diplomat says work is underway to fulfill his country's upply of advanced air-defense missiles to Iran, but that no start date for the delivery has been set yet.
In 2010 Russia froze plans to supply S-300 missile systems to Iran, linking the decision to U.N. sanctions.
But in April, President Vladimir Putin lifted the suspension after a framework agreement was reached that would restrict Iran's capacity to produce nuclear weapons.
The Russian move has been strongly criticized by the United States and Israel.
This morning, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said he could not 'say anything for now' about the missiles' delivery date.
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