The Belarusian Ministry of Defense said on May 18 that the country's armed forces had begun training on how to deploy nuclear weapons on the ground in coordination with Russia. According to the announced statement, the exercise content includes practice in transporting nuclear ammunition and preparing to use this type of weapon.
The exercise is designed to test the readiness of the Belarusian army in deploying nuclear weapons in various areas of the country's territory. The Belarusian Ministry of Defense said that the focus of the operation is to practice camouflage, maneuver over long distances and calculate options for using forces and equipment.
Belarus is currently a neighbor of Russia, Ukraine and 3 NATO member countries. This country began receiving Russian tactical nuclear missiles in 2023, a year after the conflict in Ukraine broke out. Russian President Vladimir Putin once affirmed that Moscow still maintains control over the use of nuclear weapons deployed in Belarus.
Throughout the conflict, Mr. Putin repeatedly mentioned Russia's nuclear capabilities. Western countries see these as warnings to prevent deeper involvement in the conflict to support Ukraine.
Last week, Mr. Putin announced that Russia would deploy the new Sarmat nuclear missile before the end of this year, while continuing to modernize its nuclear force. The Sarmat missile is considered part of Russia's strategic deterrence capability upgrade program.
The Belarusian side emphasized that the current exercise is not aimed at against any country and does not create a security threat to the region. However, Minsk's coordination with Russia in activities related to nuclear weapons continues to attract international attention, especially in the context of the still tense security situation in Europe.
The announcement of the Belarusian Ministry of Defense did not specify the time of completion of the exercise as well as the specific scale of the participating forces. However, the disclosure of the training content shows that Minsk and Moscow are continuing to maintain close military cooperation in the strategic field.
