Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin on Saturday, February 19 alongside his ally, Belarusian president Lukashenko watched the Russian military perform nuclear drills, while the U.S. announced that Russian forces were ‘poised to strike’ Ukraine.

The nuclear bomb drills were carried out simultaneously from the sea, land and the air.

The exercises involved the Crimea-based Black Sea Fleet. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula after seizing it from Ukraine in 2014. .

The nuclear drills follow manoeuvres by Russia’s armed forces in the past four months that have included a build-up of troops estimated by the West to number 150,000 or more to the north, east and south of Ukraine.

Moscow-based analysts said Saturday’s exercises were aimed at sending a message to take Russia’s demands for security guarantees from NATO seriously.

“Ignoring Russia’s legitimate rights in this area adversely affects the stability not only on the European continent, but also in the world,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by his ministry as telling France’s foreign minister by phone.

Watch the videos below

Here are the videos from today’s Russian strategic military drills

Ballistic missiles fired from a battle ship pic.twitter.com/Bm79muhPK2

— Rag?p Soylu (@ragipsoylu) February 19, 2022

Russia’s strategic nuclear forces held exercises overseen by Vladimir Putin as West’s fears of war rose. Foreign ministers from the group of wealthy nations said they had seen no evidence that Russia is reducing military activity near Ukraine’s borders https://t.co/WFO0T5mlVU pic.twitter.com/u56JMEwCYX

— Reuters (@Reuters) February 19, 2022

#Russian Ministry of Defense a video of #hypersonic aeroballistic “#Dagger” missiles being launched during #nuclear forces drills amidst high tensions with #Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/P6dj3XDoAk

— Donald Standeford (@Don_Standeford) February 19, 2022

The Russian military released a series of videos showing military drills involving missile launches from land, strategic bombers, fighter jets, ships and submarines. They include RS-24 Yars ballistic?Kinzhal and Tsirkon supersonic missiles. Apparently they want the world to see. pic.twitter.com/2i3rOqtmAJ

— Media Warrior (@MediaWarriorY) February 19, 2022