Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced the start of Russia's strategic deterrence force drills, including the test-firing of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles.

Putin made the announcement on Tuesday. He said the drills would include launches of ballistic and cruise missiles.

Putin stressed the importance of having "modern and constantly ready-to-use strategic forces," given the growing geopolitical tensions and the emergence of new external threats and risks.

The Russian defense ministry announced the success of the exercise later on Tuesday. It said a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia.

It also said a Sineva ballistic missile and a Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile were launched from nuclear submarines in the Barents Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk.

The ministry said all the missiles reached their targets, and that all the missions in the drills were perfectly completed.

Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the exercise was a regular, planned event.

Observers say Russia likely meant to display its nuclear capabilities to keep Western countries in check amid deepening conflict over the situation in Ukraine.