Putin orders nuclear drills in response to Western "threats.

 Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered nuclear drills to be held "in the near future," especially with the participation of forces deployed near Ukraine, in response to "threats" by Western leaders against Moscow, the Defense Ministry said Monday.

At the same time, six people were killed and 35 others injured in the morning in a Ukrainian attack with explosive drones on the Russian Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine and is regularly targeted by Ukrainian forces.

Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine in February, Putin has repeatedly hinted at the possibility of resorting to nuclear weapons.

This time, the maneuvers are aimed at "maintaining the readiness" of the army in the wake of "provocative statements and threats by some Western officials against Russia."

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said these Western leaders "talked about the readiness and even the intention to send armed brigades to Ukraine, that is, to pit NATO soldiers against the Russian army."

French President Emmanuel Macron recently reiterated his position that he would not rule out sending Western forces to Ukraine if Russia penetrated the "front lines."

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that "during the maneuvers, a number of measures will be taken to prepare and use non-strategic nuclear weapons."

These weapons, also called tactical nuclear weapons, are designed for use on the battlefield and can be launched by missiles.

The ministry said the measure was based on "orders from the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation," meaning President Putin.

The maneuvers will involve the air force, navy, and forces of the Southern Military District, based near the border with Ukraine, and their area of operation will include the Ukrainian regions that Moscow has occupied and announced its annexation after the invasion.

The Russian Defense Ministry did not specify the date or location of the maneuvers.

A Ukrainian drone attack in the small village of Biryuzovka in Russia's Belgorod region killed at least six people and injured 35 others, according to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.

Two small trucks "transporting employees to their workplaces and a car were attacked by the Ukrainian army with suicide drones," the official said via Telegram.

He added, "Six people died (...) and 35 people were injured, including a man in a difficult situation," while the other wounded "suffered somewhat serious injuries due to shrapnel, and paramedics transported them to medical centers in the area."

According to the regional authorities, the damaged vehicles belong to a local meat production company.

Russia's Investigative Committee, which is responsible for major investigations, has opened an inquiry into the incident.

The Belgorod region is regularly attacked by the Ukrainian army, which Kiev says is in response to the daily bombing of Ukrainian cities by Russian forces for more than two years.

This new Ukrainian attack comes on the eve of Vladimir Putin's inauguration in the Kremlin for his fifth term on Tuesday, and three days before the May 9 celebrations commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.

The authorities canceled part of these celebrations, which usually attract large crowds throughout the country, for security reasons, particularly related to the conflict in Ukraine.

On the other hand, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry announced on Monday that Russian bombing of energy facilities caused a blackout during the night in the Ukrainian regions of Sumy and Kharkiv, which border Russia.

"During the night, the enemy bombed power facilities in the Sumy region. More than 400,000 families in Sumy and other towns and villages in the region were cut off from electricity," the ministry said.

She added that power had been "partially restored" by the morning.