Belarus launches drills involving Russian nuclear weapons
Key takeaways
- The Belarusian Defense Ministry said the drills would test its readiness to deploy nuclear weapons.
- In 2023, one year after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko agreed to host Russian tactical nuclear missiles.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has stressed Moscow's control over the missiles' use.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The Belarusian Defense Ministry said the drills would test its readiness to deploy nuclear weapons. Ukraine decried the exercise as Russia "de facto legitimising the proliferation of nuclear weapons worldwide."
https://p.dw.com/p/5Dw Pq Belarusian leader Lukashenko (left) is a close ally of Russia's Putin (right) and has agreed in 2023 to host Russian tactical nuclear missiles [FILE: May 9, 2026]Image: The Kremlin Moscow/Sven Simon/picture alliance Advertisement Belarus announced on Monday the start of training exercises involving Russian nuclear weapons, drawing wide condemnation from neighboring Ukraine.
In 2023, one year after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko agreed to host Russian tactical nuclear missiles.