Belarus has begun nuclear exercises with Russia: what does this mean?
This has been reported by the media, citing the Belarusian Ministry of Defence.
The Belarusian Ministry of Defence has announced the start of exercises involving units specialising in the combat use of nuclear weapons and nuclear support.
According to the Belarusian military, the exercises are being conducted jointly with Russia.
The Belarusian Ministry of Defence stated that the aim of the exercises is, in particular, to test the readiness of weapons and equipment for “carrying out tasks and organising combat operations from unplanned areas”.
During the exercises, particular attention is to be paid to the concealment of movements, long-distance marches and the calculation of the deployment of forces and resources.
The Belarusian military authorities also stated that the exercises are routine, are not directed against third countries and allegedly do not pose a threat to security in the region.
Nuclear weapons in Belarus
Since 2023, Russia has begun deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. These include, in particular, the “Iskander” and “Oreshnik” missile systems.
Moscow claims that it is not violating the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, as it does not transfer the munitions to Minsk and retains control over them.
In 2024, the Belarusian military took part in non-strategic nuclear forces exercises held on Russian territory. At the same time, no such exercises on Belarusian territory had previously been reported.
What the military expert says
Journalist and military expert Ilya Volzhsky confirmed to Novaya Gazeta Europe that such exercises take place regularly in Russia. However, it was decided to hold such exercises on Belarusian territory for the first time.
According to Volzhsky, such an event requires careful preparation. He therefore considers it unlikely that the exercises could have been a response to the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ drone attack on Moscow, which took place on Saturday night.
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