Belarus Launches Joint Nuclear Drills with Russia Amid International Concerns

Belarusian Ministry Announces Joint Training Exercises with Russian Forces

The Belarusian Ministry of Defence has announced that military units in Belarus are participating in joint training exercises with Russia on nuclear weapon use. According to a statement from the ministry, the exercise is a planned event and not directed at any specific third party.

The purpose of the exercise, as stated by the ministry, is to test readiness and carry out combat missions from unprepared areas throughout the country. The Belarusian Ministry of Defence has emphasized that the exercise does not target any particular nation or region.

Reactions from Ukraine and NATO allies have been strong, with Kyiv expressing concern over the potential implications of the exercise. A statement from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the move as a “dangerous precedent” for nuclear proliferation worldwide.

The Belarusian capital, Minsk, is heavily dependent on Moscow, and Russian tactical nuclear weapons were stationed in Belarus following President Alexander Lukashenko’s request. The White House has broken with Europe’s hardline approach to the war in Ukraine, and Lukashenko has sought to mend ties with the United States in an effort to secure sanctions relief.

The Russian Ministry of Defence had not published any information about the nuclear drills at the time of publication. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s allegation of a planned Russian offensive from Belarus, stating that such statements aim to further inflame tensions and prolong the war in Ukraine.

In recent days, Ukraine has launched drone barrages against Moscow, killing at least five people. Russian forces invaded Ukraine from Belarus on February 24, 2022, and were repelled by the Ukrainian military before reaching the capital. Zelenskyy warned Belarus against allowing itself to be drawn into Russia’s war, citing intelligence reports that suggest Moscow is considering deploying forces to invade from the north or use Belarus as a staging post for an attack on NATO countries bordering Belarus.

Source: Al Jazeera