Russia and Belarus conduct joint nuclear military exercises

Between May 19 and 21, 2026, Russia and Belarus conducted joint nuclear exercises involving the testing of tactical nuclear weapon deployment. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko monitored the maneuvers via teleconference. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that nuclear warheads were delivered to storage facilities in Belarus for the Iskander-M mobile missile systems. The training included loading munitions onto launch vehicles and covertly relocating them to designated sites for simulated launch preparation. Russia released footage depicting personnel preparing missiles and camouflaging equipment in forested areas. According to official reports, the exercises involved 64,000 military personnel, over 200 missile launch systems, 140 aircraft, 73 surface ships, and 13 submarines. The drills took place amidst heightened tensions between Moscow and the West regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine.