Russia Tests Tactical Nuclear Weapons in Joint Minsk-Moscow Exercise
According to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency and Reuters, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that Belarus and Russia will test tactical nuclear missiles as well as russia’s “Ursionik” missile during their joint military drills.
Russia first deployed Ursionik missiles in its war against Ukraine last year. The five-day Zapad exercise, a joint operation between Minsk and Moscow, began on September 12 and concludes today. The drill aims to demonstrate military strength while testing combat readiness between the two countries.
Western military analysts interpret these exercises as an attempt to intimidate Europe. They come days after Poland and NATO forces reported shooting down drones they claim belonged to Russia over Polish airspace.Following this incident, Warsaw temporarily closed its border with Belarus.
Belarus, a close ally of Moscow, shares borders with Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia-all NATO members-and hosts Russian tactical nuclear weapons on its territory.
The state-run Belarusian news agency BelTA quoted lukashenko saying that using Russian tactical nuclear weapons during the Zapad drills is entirely normal.
He emphasized: “We practice everything there-from conventional small arms to nuclear warheads. They [the West] know this; we hide nothing. I repeat: we must be able to conduct such tests; or else deploying these weapons on Belarusian soil makes no sense. However, we have no intention whatsoever of threatening anyone.”
The Belarusian Ministry of Defense confirmed in a statement that the exercises include tactical nuclear weapon use alongside launching mid-range ballistic Ursionik missiles-first used by Russia against Ukraine on November 21 last year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said last year that Russia would likely station Ursionik missiles in Belarus by the second half of 2025. These missiles are reportedly undetectable by current defense systems.
According to reuters’ claims, Lukashenko has regularly communicated with Putin and allowed Russian forces to enter Ukraine through Belarus starting February 2022 but did not involve Minsk’s own troops in combat operations.
Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump has sought closer ties with Belarus; last week he eased some sanctions against Minsk in exchange for releasing 52 prisoners-including political opponents of Lukashenko.
Additionally, U.S. Army officers observed part of the Zapad exercise yesterday-a signal that relations between Washington and Minsk may be warming.
