Russia and Belarus practiced deploying tactical nuclear weapons on Monday, just one day after Ukraine carried out its biggest drone attack on Moscow.
In a statement, Belarus’ Defense Ministry said the exercise, which was held with units of the Russian armed forces, intended to test the military’s readiness to launch nuclear weapons from mobile or unplanned launch sites. It also stated the drill was a scheduled event and not aimed against any specific third party.
The joint military exercise, which wasn’t immediately confirmed by the Russian Defense Ministry, took place following Ukraine’s largest drone attack on Moscow and the surrounding region. According to various sources, at least three people were killed, and Kyiv additionally claimed it had struck Moscow’s biggest refinery, an an oil depot in Solnechnogorsk, and a microelectronics factory.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued thinly-veiled threats of nuclear strikes over the last four years. In 2024, the Kremlin updated its military doctrine to allow for ‘first use’ nuclear attacks to counter threats to Russia’s territorial integrity.
Kyiv denounced the move, saying the Kremlin is “de facto legitimizing the proliferation of nuclear weapons worldwide” by turning Belarus into what it called a “nuclear staging ground near NATO borders.”
“Such actions must face unequivocal and resolute condemnation from all states that respect the nuclear non-proliferation regime,” Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Late last year, Russia deployed its hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile system — which is capable of delivering nuclear payloads — to Belarus after President Alexander Lukashenko claimed his country was being threatened by neighboring NATO member states. He upped his rhetoric last week by announcing a partial mobilization of the country’s armed forces.
Veronika Melkozerova contributed reporting.
