The Russian military has transferred nuclear warheads to a missile brigade in Belarus as part of a strategic nuclear force exercise, the Russian Ministry of Defense informed.
“Within the framework of the nuclear force exercise, nuclear ammunition has been transferred to makeshift warehouses in the deployment area of a missile brigade on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. Soldiers of the Belarusian missile brigade are conducting combat training missions, including receiving special ammunition for the Iskander-M tactical missile system, loading it onto the launcher and secretly maneuvering to the designated area for launch preparations” - the Russian Ministry of Defense stated in a statement.
Previously, on May 19, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the country's nuclear forces had begun a large-scale exercise to practice the use of nuclear weapons in the context of the emergence of the risk of being attacked.
According to data from the Russian Ministry of Defense, the exercise took place from May 19 to 21, with the participation of more than 64,000 soldiers, more than 7,800 units of weapons, military equipment and special equipment, including more than 200 missile launchers, more than 140 aircraft, 73 surface ships and 13 submarines, including 8 strategic missile-carrying cruisers.
The Russian Ministry of Defense emphasized that the exercise aims to practice putting a number of units and formations of the nuclear force into a state of readiness to perform assigned tasks, ensuring comprehensive logistics, and conducting test launches of ballistic missiles and cruise missiles at training grounds throughout Russia.
The exercise also focused on practicing coordination in preparing and using nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory.
According to TASS news agency, units of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, the Northern Fleet, the Pacific Fleet and the long-range air force have been placed in a state of readiness to conduct missile launches within the framework of a large-scale nuclear exercise.
“Within the framework of the nuclear force exercise, units and formations of the Strategic Missile Forces, the Northern Fleet, the Pacific Fleet, the long-range air force, along with the Leningrad Military District and the Central Military District, have taken preparatory measures to carry out combat missions related to missile launches,” the Russian Ministry of Defense stated.
According to the Ministry of Defense, Russia's mobile strategic missile systems have been deployed to field positions during the exercise.
The Russian Aerospace Forces are also practicing the installation of nuclear warheads for the Kinzhal supersonic missile and conducting flights to designated patrol areas.
Russian nuclear submarines carrying ballistic missiles also maneuvered to patrol areas at naval training grounds during the exercise.
The Russian Ministry of Defense also released video clips recording images of the Yars mobile intercontinental ballistic missile system moving to the combat patrol line and deployed to the field position, along with MiG-31 fighters carrying Kinzhal missiles taking flights to the designated patrol area on the last day of the nuclear exercise.
