Putin rattles the nuclear sabre again: Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu visits Arctic island notorious for testing nukes - as Kremlin stages huge naval war games

Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu has visited the Arctic island notorious for nuclear testing amid fears the Kremlin is set to defy the West by resuming military atomic tests.

Shoigu's trip to Novaya Zemlya, a remote Arctic archipelago, comes amid huge war games by Vladimir Putin's Northern Fleet involving 20 naval ships and more than 8,000 troops.

It's the first time the defence minister has visited since Putin ordered that Russia is ready 'if necessary' to conduct new nuclear tests for the first time since 1990 in the Soviet era.

The aggressive move fuels deep east-west tension over the Kremlin's illegal invasion of Ukraine, and regular Russian threats to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict.

A defence source is on the record as saying: 'The task to get ready for resuming nuclear tests that has been assigned by the Russian president will certainly be fulfilled.

Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu (accompanied by Alexey Likhachev) has visited the Arctic island notorious for nuclear testing

Putin has ordered that Russia is ready 'if necessary' to conduct new nuclear tests for the first time since 1990 in the Soviet era. Pictured: Russian troops carrying out military drills in the Arctic 

Shoigu's trip to Novaya Zemlya, a remote Arctic archipelago, comes amid show of strength war games by Vladimir Putin's Northern Fleet involving 20 naval ships and more than 8,000 troops. Pictured: Drills being carried out in the Arctic

'The Novozemelsky test range has always maintained its readiness for the tests.'

Shoigu 'inspected the remote Arctic garrisons of the Northern Fleet' and 'in particular, checked the organisation of official activities on Novaya Zemlya', state news agency RIA Novosti reported today.

Significantly he was accompanied by Alexey Likhachev, director-general of ROSATOM, Russia's State Nuclear Energy Corporation.

It follows reports earlier this week that Shoigu's daughter Ksenia, 32, has been forced to split up with her 'anti-war' partner Alexey Stolyarov, 33, after pressure from Putin. 

Meanwhile 'a detachment of [naval] ships of the Northern Fleet went to sea to solve problems in the Arctic zone'.

Shoigu's visit followed a call from Putin's former space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin to restart banned tests at Novaya Zemlya.

'We must make sure that [the West's] buttocks begin to shake with fear,' he said.

'I would start…I would do it, and I wouldn't wait for the Americans,' he said in May.

'Conduct nuclear tests now on Novaya Zemlya.'

Vyacheslav Solovyov, scientific director of the Russian Federal Nuclear Centre said: 'There is a special program to maintain the readiness of the test site.'

Some 130 nuclear tests were conducted on Novaya Zemlya from September 21, 1955, to October 24, 1990

The aggressive move fuels deep east-west tension over the Kremlin's illegal invasion of Ukraine. Pictured: Shoigu visiting Novaya Zemlya

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu inspects the Arctic garrisons of the Northern Fleet

Some 130 nuclear tests were conducted on Novaya Zemlya from September 21, 1955, to October 24, 1990. These included 88 atmospheric, 3 underwater and 39 underground.

Putin this week started drills in the Arctic ostensibly to protect the Northern Sea Route between Europe and Asia.

'In all, the drills will involve more than 8,000 servicemen, 20 warships, submarines and logistics vessels, five aircraft, up to 50 pieces of military and special hardware of the Northern Fleet's forces, formations and military units,' said a naval source.

'The participants will test different options of exercising fleet forces command and control while tackling missions to protect the Russian Federation's sovereignty along the Northern Sea Route.'

This follows the Oceanic Shield 2023 naval exercise in the Baltic Sea involving more than 30 warships and other vessels, 30 aircraft and some 6,000 troops.

Russia also has plans to expand a garrison on Novaya Zemlya.

Shoigu's visit is the latest high profile event by the veteran defence minister whose star appears to be rising in Moscow.

Last month he travelled to North Korea on a four day visit seeking ammunition and weapons for his war in Ukraine.

Putin this week started drills in the Arctic ostensibly to protect the Northern Sea Route between Europe and Asia

'In all, the drills will involve more than 8,000 servicemen, 20 warships, submarines and logistics vessels, five aircraft, up to 50 pieces of military and special hardware of the Northern Fleet's forces, formations and military units,' said a naval source.

Russia's defence ministry said today that Moscow destroyed 20 Ukrainian drones launched onto the Crimean Peninsula early on Saturday.

There were no casualties and no damage as a result of the attempted attack, the ministry said on the Telegram messaging app. It said 14 drones were destroyed by air defence systems and six were suppressed by electronic warfare.

It was not immediately clear what was targeted in the reported attacks on the Russian-annexed peninsula.

Sergei Kryuchkov, an adviser to the Russia-installed governor of Crimea, said earlier that air defence systems were engaged in repelling air attack in different parts of the peninsula.

Crimea transport authorities said on their Telegram channel that traffic on the Crimean Bridge, which links the Black Sea peninsula with the Russian region of Krasnodar, was suspended for about two hours from 1:30 a.m. (2230 GMT).

Drone attacks on Russian-controlled territories in Ukraine and deep inside Russia have increased since a drone was destroyed over the Kremlin in early May.

Ukraine almost never publicly claims responsibility for the attacks but has said destroying Russia's military infrastructure is crucial for Kyiv's counteroffensive.

Yesterday, a Russian defence plant was evacuated  after a major explosion at the site sent a huge plume of smoke into the sky, towering over nearby buildings. 

The explosion at the Zagorsk Optical-Mechanical Plant also initially prompted reports of a drone strike, but this was quickly denied by Russian officials.

A huge mushroom cloud was seen over the plant in Sergiyev Posad, 46 miles northeast of Moscow. A witness said 'the whole plant is in ruins'.