VIENNA, April 30. /TASS/. Russia's permanent representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Dmitry Polyansky, has called the joint Franco-Polish exercises involving drills to practice the procedure of nuclear strikes against Russia and Belarus direct preparations for war.

"Paris and Warsaw are openly preparing joint bilateral military exercises involving the procedure of carrying out nuclear strikes against targets in Russia and Belarus. This is no longer rhetoric, but direct preparations for war," he said at a regular meeting of the organization's Permanent Council.

"It is noteworthy and highly alarming that the Franco-Polish scenarios do not even provide for consultations within NATO, in accordance with Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty," Polyansky added.