The Kremlin has described France’s latest test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile as a “loud and clear message”, as Moscow warned that Europe’s growing focus on defence was deepening its confrontation with Russia.
Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin’s sycophantic spokesman, criticised France’s launch of an M51.3 strategic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine, arguing that European governments were increasingly defining their security policies around a confrontation with Moscow.
Peskov claimed Europe was “obsessed with the idea of militarising the EU and turning the union into a military-political bloc”.
At the same time, he said Moscow believed that “any problems should be resolved through dialogue, not demonstrative missile launches.”
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“This is bad because they are building their defence and security identity around confrontation with the Russian Federation. This is a dead end. As history shows, it leads to nothing good,” Peskov said.
He added that Russia was “monitoring all such plans and actions”.
The comments came after France successfully conducted a test launch of its M51.3 strategic submarine-launched ballistic missile on October 6, underscoring Paris’s continued investment in the sea-based element of its nuclear deterrent.
The missile was launched from the nuclear-powered submarine Le Vigilant off the coast of Finistère before travelling into the North Atlantic and landing several hundred kilometres from any coastline.
France’s Armed Forces Ministry said the missile carried no nuclear warhead and that the test had been conducted in accordance with the country’s international commitments.
President Emmanuel Macron observed the launch and said the test demonstrated the reliability of France’s nuclear deterrent.
The test nevertheless comes at a time when European governments are reassessing defence capabilities amid heightened tensions with Russia and a broader debate over the continent’s ability to provide its own security.
The M51.3 forms part of France’s long-term effort to modernise its strategic forces. It is the third generation of the country’s submarine-launched ballistic missile and entered service in October 2025.
The weapon is designed to provide greater range and accuracy and improved capabilities for penetrating missile defence systems. It is also equipped to carry France’s newer TNO-2 nuclear warheads.
France’s nuclear force occupies a distinctive position within Europe. Paris maintains an independent nuclear deterrent and is not part of NATO’s nuclear-sharing arrangements, although France is a member of the alliance.
The submarine-based component is central to the credibility of that deterrent because it provides a survivable platform capable of remaining at sea and therefore preserving a retaliatory capability.
For Moscow, however, the test provides another indication that European defence policy is moving towards greater military preparedness.
Peskov’s comments reflect the Kremlin’s longstanding opposition to what it regards as an expansion of Western military capabilities close to Russia, while France presents its nuclear force as a means of preserving strategic autonomy and deterring attack.
The immediate significance of the launch therefore lies less in the missile’s test payload — which France said was non-nuclear — than in the wider strategic signal.
The M51.3 represents a continuing investment in France’s ability to maintain an independent nuclear deterrent. Russia’s response suggests Moscow is watching that modernisation closely as European governments seek to strengthen their defence posture.
With France continuing to upgrade its strategic arsenal and the Kremlin warning that it is “monitoring all such plans and actions”, the latest missile test has highlighted the increasingly prominent role of nuclear deterrence in Europe’s security debate.
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