THE Russian Defence Ministry announced on Thursday that nuclear munitions had been delivered to operational storage sites in Belarus as part of a major three-day strategic exercise involving tens of thousands of military personnel across Russia and Belarus.
The drills, involving approximately 64,000 personnel, are intended to rehearse “the preparation and use of nuclear forces in the event of aggression”, according to Moscow.
"As part of the nuclear forces exercise, nuclear munitions were delivered to the field storage facilities of the missile brigade's position area in the Republic of Belarus," Reuters cited the Russian defence ministry saying.
The exercises featured a wide display of Russian strategic military assets, including Borei-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, Il-38 anti-submarine aircraft, MiG-31 fighter jets equipped with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile systems.
Russia said missile units stationed in Belarus were also training to receive special munitions for the mobile Iskander-M tactical missile system, including procedures involving the loading of warheads onto launch platforms.
Although Russian nuclear drills traditionally utilise dummy warheads, footage released by the Defence Ministry showed military convoys transporting equipment under relatively light security, alongside images of nuclear submarines, warships and long-range aircraft participating in the exercises.
The manoeuvres come as Vladimir Putin continues to frame the war in Ukraine as an existential confrontation with the West. Since the start of the conflict, Putin has repeatedly invoked Russia’s nuclear capabilities as a warning against deeper Western military involvement in support of Kyiv.
Ukraine and several Western leaders have dismissed such actions as irresponsible nuclear brinkmanship intended to intimidate NATO allies.
The exercises also unfolded against a backdrop of intensifying friction in the Baltic region, where Moscow and NATO members have exchanged accusations over alleged drone incursions linked to the war in Ukraine.
Russia has accused Baltic states of allowing Ukrainian drones to traverse their airspace in attacks targeting northern Russian territory, claims denied by NATO.
Meanwhile, the Baltic governments argue that Russia itself has redirected Ukrainian drones into Baltic airspace in an attempt to provoke regional instability.
The Kremlin on Wednesday sharply criticised comments by Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys after he suggested NATO should demonstrate that it was capable of penetrating the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
Moscow described the remarks as “verging on insanity”.
Kaliningrad, located between NATO members Lithuania and Poland along the Baltic coast, remains one of Russia’s most heavily militarised territories and serves as the headquarters of the Russian Baltic Fleet.
Separately, amid Europe’s broader military rearmament drive, Germany announced plans to acquire a 40 per cent stake in Franco-German defence manufacturer KNDS ahead of the company’s planned stock market listing. - May 21, 2026
