RAF Typhoons join French Rafales in the first-ever simulated nuclear strike drill, seen as a warning shot to Putin

The war game, codenamed 'Rummy', saw French jets take off from Saint-Dizier air base on Tuesday evening, with British Typhoons escorting them over the Mediterranean. French armed forces minister Catherine Vautrin revealed the exercise on Friday. No real nuclear weapons were used. It follows months of Kremlin threats to use nuclear arms against Western nations backing Ukraine.

Vautrin: 'Our nuclear cooperation with the United Kingdom continues to deepen.'

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting warned that 'our adversaries should be in no doubt'.

The drill comes amid doubts over US commitment to Nato under President Donald Trump.