Kremlin criticizes France's nuclear missile test

MOSCOW, Oct 7 - The Kremlin said on Wednesday that France's test launch of a nuclear-capable missile showed that Europe was building its defence identity around confrontation with Russia, describing the strategy as a "dead end".

On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the test of the submarine-launched ballistic missile off the coast of Brittany as a message "sent loud and clear for wherever it must be received", without mentioning Russia directly.

The launch came amid heightened tensions over the war in Ukraine, European security, and nuclear deterrence. Russia has recently renewed warnings that it could use nuclear weapons to defend itself and the exclave of Kaliningrad.

Asked about the test launch, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia had received France's message and said it was an example of what he called Europe's obsession with militarisation.

"They are building their identity in the field of defence and security on the basis of confrontation with the Russian Federation. This is a dead end path. As history shows, it leads to nothing good," he said.

He said Russia remained on alert, but open to dialogue. "We believe that any problems should be resolved not through demonstrative missile launches, but through dialogue," he said. REUTERS