Russia test fires ballistic, hypersonic missiles during nuclear drills with Belarus

The three-day drills began on Tuesday and marked one of the largest joint nuclear exercises conducted by Russia and Belarus since the start of the Ukraine war. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko jointly observed the final stage of the drills.

In Short

• The three-day exercise involved 64,000 troops, missiles, warships and submarines
• Eight submarines in the drills carried nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles
• Russia's 2024 nuclear doctrine expanded protection to Belarus

Russia and Belarus carried out large-scale joint nuclear drills on Thursday across land, sea and air, in a major show of military strength amid growing tensions with the West and continued fighting in Ukraine. The exercises involved nuclear-capable missiles, submarines, warships and strategic bombers.

The three-day drills began on Tuesday and marked one of the largest joint nuclear exercises conducted by Russia and Belarus since the start of the Ukraine war. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko jointly observed the final stage of the drills.

Convoys carrying intercontinental ballistic missiles moved through forest roads, nuclear-powered submarines sailed from Arctic and Pacific bases, and military aircraft were deployed as part of the operation. Russia's Defence Ministry said the drills involved 64,000 troops, more than 200 missile launchers, over 140 aircraft, 73 warships and 13 submarines. Eight of those submarines were armed with nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The Kremlin said the exercises were focused on the "preparation and use of nuclear forces under the threat of aggression".

PUTIN SENDS CLEAR MESSAGE TO WEST

The drills come at a time when Russia is facing Ukrainian drone attacks, including strikes near Moscow earlier this week that killed three people and damaged industrial facilities and residential areas. The attacks have made it harder for the Kremlin to present the Ukraine war as a distant conflict that does not affect ordinary Russian citizens.

During the drills, Putin stressed the importance of Russia's nuclear arsenal and said Moscow would continue strengthening its nuclear forces together with Belarus.

"Given the growing tensions in the world and the emergence of new threats and risks, our nuclear triad must continue to serve as a reliable guarantor of the sovereignty of the Union State of Russia and Belarus," Putin said.

He added that the nuclear forces would continue "ensuring the fulfillment of the tasks of strategic deterrence and maintaining nuclear parity and the global balance of power."

Putin later declared that all objectives of the joint nuclear exercises had been successfully completed.

The Russian leader has repeatedly used nuclear rhetoric since launching the war in Ukraine in February 2022. Moscow has often warned Western nations against expanding military support for Kyiv.

RUSSIA-BELARUS NUCLEAR TIES

The exercises also highlighted Belarus' growing role in Russia's military planning.

Belarus hosts Russian tactical nuclear weapons and several advanced missile systems. Among them is the Oreshnik intermediate-range missile system, one of Moscow's latest nuclear-capable weapons. During a visit to a military unit involved in the drills, Lukashenko inspected Russian-made Iskander short-range ballistic missile systems and openly praised them.

"I dreamed about this machine a long time ago," Lukashenko said while examining the missile launcher.

Russia revised its nuclear doctrine in 2024 and formally expanded its nuclear umbrella to include Belarus. Under the updated policy, any conventional attack on Russia supported by nuclear power could be treated as a joint attack on Moscow. The updated doctrine also lowered the threshold for the possible use of nuclear weapons by Russia.

While Moscow retains operational control over nuclear weapons deployed in Belarus, Putin previously said Minsk would have the authority to choose targets in the event of a conflict.

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With inputs from agencies