Russia and Belarus begin joint nuclear weapons drills near EU and Ukraine borders

Russia and Belarus launched joint military exercises on Monday, May 18, practicing the delivery and preparation of nuclear munitions, the Belarusian Defense Ministry said. The drills involve missile forces and aviation units from both countries, according to the ministry's statement.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry said the exercises are aimed at improving personnel readiness, checking the combat capability of military equipment, and practicing the use of weapons from non-standard deployment areas. The ministry stated the drills are "not directed against third countries" and do not pose a threat to regional security.

The exercises mark the first announced Belarus-Russia nuclear drill since Russia deployed the nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic missile system to Belarus in December 2025. Russia used a conventionally armed version of Oreshnik against Ukraine in November 2024 and again in January 2025, Ukrainian officials said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 15 that Ukraine has evidence Russia is attempting to draw Belarus deeper into the war. Zelensky ordered troops to reinforce the border with Belarus, claiming Moscow was preparing a new offensive from there. The Kremlin dismissed Zelensky's allegations as "an attempt at further incitement."

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry condemned the exercises, saying they violate Articles I and II of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which prohibit nuclear-weapon states from transferring control over weapons of mass destruction technology and non-nuclear signatories from receiving it. The ministry called the drills an "unprecedented challenge" to global security and called for increased sanctions on Moscow and Minsk.

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko announced a rotational mobilization of selected military units on May 12, saying "We are all preparing for war," state news agency Belta reported.

Andrii Veselovskyi, adviser to the director of the National Institute for Strategic Studies, said the nuclear exercises are part of Russia's strategy ahead of a major summer offensive, aimed at diverting Ukraine's attention and forces from the front line.

The exercises follow Ukraine's largest drone attack on Moscow, which killed at least three people. The New START agreement ended in February 2026 after US President Donald Trump declined to extend it.