Russia holds nuclear drills on land, sea and air, joined by its ally Belarus

Russia and Belarus conducted their final stage of joint nuclear drills on land, sea, and air, involving 64,000 troops and multiple missile systems, including nuclear-capable ICBMs and short-range Iskander missiles. The exercises follow a revised Russian nuclear doctrine that lowers the threshold for nuclear use in response to Western-backed attacks and underscores Moscow’s nuclear deterrence amid escalating Ukrainian drone strikes targeting Russian cities." "article": "Russia and Belarus concluded three days of joint nuclear drills on Thursday, simulating the deployment and use of nuclear forces under the threat of aggression. The exercises involved 64,000 troops, over 200 missile launchers, 140 aircraft, 73 surface warships, and 13 submarines, including eight nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) submarines. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko participated, with Putin emphasizing that nuclear weapons remain an extreme measure for national security. The drills included test-firings of Yars and Sineva ICBMs, as well as medium-range Zircon and Kinzhal missiles, all of which hit designated targets. Belarusian forces also test-fired a short-range Iskander missile inside Russia. The exercises highlighted cooperation between the two nations, particularly regarding Russia’s deployment of nuclear-capable systems in Belarus, such as the Oreshnik missile system. The maneuvers follow recent Ukrainian drone strikes on Moscow’s suburbs, which killed three people and damaged infrastructure, forcing Russian officials to acknowledge the conflict’s impact on civilians. Putin’s revised nuclear doctrine, adopted in 2024, now considers any conventional attack on Russia supported by a nuclear-armed nation as a joint attack, lowering the threshold for potential nuclear retaliation. Belarus is explicitly included under Russia’s nuclear umbrella, with Moscow retaining control over deployed weapons. The drills underscore Russia’s nuclear deterrence strategy amid escalating tensions with the West over Ukraine. Putin has repeatedly warned of Moscow’s nuclear capabilities since invading Ukraine in 2022, framing the exercises as a response to perceived threats from NATO-backed military support for Kyiv. The inclusion of Belarus in these drills signals deeper integration of the two nations’ military postures.