MOSCOW, May 20. /TASS/. Exercises to practice the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons will be held "in due time," Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has told the media without mentioning specific dates.

"There is an instruction from the supreme commander-in-chief. It will be carried out within the appropriate timeframe," the Kremlin spokesman said. He advised the media to address questions regarding dates to the Defense Ministry.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry said that on instructions from President Vladimir Putin the General Staff had begun preparations for an exercise to be held in the near future involving missile units of the Southern Military District, aircraft and naval ships. Preparations for and procedure of using non-strategic nuclear weapons will be practiced. The exercises are aimed, among other things, at unconditionally ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Russia in response to provocative statements and threats by certain Western officials.

Putin described the drills to practice the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons as routine work having out of the ordinary. He also said that the exercises would be held in three stages, with Belarus joining Russia in the second stage, since non-strategic nuclear weapons were deployed on its territory.