UK intelligence explains why Russia conducting large-scale civil defence drills

Russia has recently been conducting civil defence exercises across much of the country, based on a scenario of large-scale international armed conflict.

“These exercises have taken place annually since 2012 and coincide with Russian Civil Defence Day on 4 October. This year’s exercises are unlikely to have been dramatically changed or expanded,” Caliber.Az reports, citing the UK Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine.

“For generations, the USSR and then Russia have paid attention to domestic preparations for a major conflict. However, even with the ongoing war in Ukraine, it is unlikely Russia has significantly changed its posture of national preparedness in recent months,” the intel report said.