In this still image shows a missile launching system is seen during drills at an undisclosed location in Russia on Wednesday. Reuters

Russia has begun the third stage of drills to practise the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons, the defence ministry said on Wednesday.

"In accordance with the decision of the president of the Russian Federation, the third stage of the exercise of non-strategic nuclear forces has begun," the defence ministry said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

Soldiers from the Southern and Central military districts will train how to deploy dummy warheads for Iskander-M operational and tactical missile systems and covertly moving them to launch sites, the defence ministry said. "The current stage of the exercise is aimed at maintaining the readiness of personnel and equipment of units of combat use of non-strategic nuclear weapons of Russia to perform combat missions," the ministry said.

Russia held the first stage of the drills in May and ally Belarus joined the second stage in June.

Russia says the United States and its European allies are pushing the world to the brink of nuclear confrontation by giving Ukraine billions of dollars worth of weapons, some of which are being used against Russian territory.

Since sending thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24 2022, President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said Russia could use nuclear weapons to defend itself in extreme situations, comments that the West has dismissed as sabre-rattling.

WAM