After France Tested a Nuclear Missile.. Russia Condemns the "Militarization" of the European Union

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Russia condemned the "militarization" of the European Union today, Wednesday, following France's test of a new intercontinental missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and launched from a submarine, a test attended by President Emmanuel Macron.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, "This is a strong and clear message... Europe is obsessed with the idea of militarization."

He also added, "In the face of such aggressive actions and projects, Russia remains vigilant."

The French Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday that it conducted the first test of its latest generation ballistic missile (M51.3) launched from submarines, confirming its capability in the field of nuclear deterrence amid rising tensions with Russia.

The ministry stated in a statement that the missile, which was not equipped with a nuclear warhead, was launched off the coast of Brittany as part of an operation to verify the nuclear submarine "Le Vigilant"'s ability to deploy this weapon, following comprehensive maintenance, adding that the launch was conducted without a payload and in strict compliance with international obligations.

Although the announcement did not mention Russia, the test comes after President Vladimir Putin warned the West last week against escalating the confrontation over Ukraine by threatening the Russian region of Kaliningrad, which lies between Poland and Lithuania, both members of the European Union, and which Moscow has made clear it will defend with nuclear weapons if necessary.

In related news, European Union countries agreed on Wednesday to a new and significant package of sanctions against Russia targeting nearly 1,600 individuals and entities in connection with the war in Ukraine, according to diplomats speaking to AFP.

The diplomats explained that the entities to be included in the sanctions list, which entails freezing assets in the EU and banning travel to it, are primarily linked to the Russian military and the arms industry.

EU foreign ministers will formally adopt these measures during a meeting scheduled for Monday, according to the same sources.