Russia and Belarus held joint nuclear exercises following drone strikes on Moscow
The Belarusian Ministry of Defence has announced joint exercises with units of the Russian army to practise the use of tactical nuclear weapons, according to Politico.
Officials in Minsk stated that during the manoeuvres, the military tested their readiness to launch nuclear weapons from mobile or unprepared launch sites. The Belarusian side also claims that the exercises were routine and not directed against any third party.
The Russian Ministry of Defence has not officially confirmed that the exercises took place.
The manoeuvres took place following the largest attack by Ukrainian drones on Moscow and the Moscow region. According to various sources, at least three people were killed. Kyiv also reported strikes on Moscow’s largest oil refinery, an oil depot in Solnechnogorsk and a microelectronics plant.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly spoken of the possibility of using nuclear weapons in recent years. In 2024, the Kremlin updated its military doctrine, permitting the so-called pre-emptive use of nuclear weapons to counter threats to Russia’s territorial integrity.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticised these actions and stated that the Kremlin is effectively legitimising the proliferation of nuclear weapons worldwide, turning Belarus into a “nuclear springboard near NATO’s borders”.
“Such actions must be unequivocally and resolutely condemned by all states that respect the nuclear non-proliferation regime,” reads the statement from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Late last year, Russia deployed the ‘Oreshnik’ hypersonic ballistic missile system, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, in Belarus. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko then spoke of alleged threats from neighbouring NATO member states.
Last week, Lukashenko also announced a partial mobilisation of the Belarusian armed forces.
