May 21, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka has been flown by helicopter to Asipovičy, Minsk region, to observe an exercise involving Russian tactical nuclear weapons, the defense ministry in Minsk reported.
Belarusian troops are training to transport nuclear munitions to firing positions and load missiles on delivery systems, such as Russian-made Iskander-M missile systems.
According to investigative journalists, Russian nuclear warheads are likely stored at an upgraded military depot near Asipovičy. Belarusian officials refused to confirm or deny the location. There is also a training ground some seven kilometers outside Asipovičy and an Iskander-M missile site in the area.
In December 2024, the Belarusian ruler publicly said that Belarus was hosting “dozens” of Russian nuclear warheads.
Belarus hosts at least two types of delivery systems for nuclear munitions – Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile systems and modified Su-25 attack aircraft capable of carrying free-fall nuclear gravity bombs.
The Su-25s are reportedly based in Lida, near the border with Poland. Iskander-M missile systems have been also spotted in Mačuliščy, Minsk region, and Ziabraŭka, Homiel region, near the border with Ukraine, according to PAX Consulting.
While Belarusian forces have been trained to operate the delivery systems, the nuclear warheads themselves remain under the exclusive operational control and custody of Russia’s 12th Main Directorate.
This morning, the Belarusian defense ministry posted a video showing what it described as the delivery of nuclear munitions to field storage depots in Belarus as part of an ongoing nuclear weapons handling exercise involving Russia.
The 1-minute and 55-second video, originally released by the Russian defense ministry, shows several Belarusian MAZ military trucks without license plates driving to undisclosed locations and troops loading a missile onto what appears to be an Iskander transporter-erector-launcher vehicle.
The Russian defense ministry reported that, as part of the exercise, units of the Strategic Missile Forces, the Northern and Pacific Fleets, Long-Range Aviation and the Leningrad and Central Military Districts deployed strategic missile systems to field positions and prepared missiles for launch.
Russia also deployed nuclear submarines carrying ballistic missiles to “sea training range areas” for combat duty.
Personnel from the Russian Aerospace Forces were trained to equip Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles with “special” warheads and fly aircraft to designated patrol areas.
Belarus launched the drill on May 18 to rehearse the delivery of nuclear munitions and preparations for their use, concurrently with a Russian nuclear exercise that began the following day.
The exercises drew an immediate backlash from Ukraine and the Belarusian opposition.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry accused Minsk and Moscow of violating the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
“The impudence of Moscow and Minsk, which have knowingly crossed all red lines of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, cannot be left without a tough, consolidated response and systematic deterrence of both regimes by the Euro-Atlantic community and the entire world.”
Kyiv called for a substantial increase in international support for Ukraine’s efforts to deter both regimes from further escalation in Europe, urging allies to strengthen their military presence on NATO’s eastern flank and deepen security cooperation with Ukraine.
Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja expressed concern that Alaksandar Łukašenka could drag Belarus into serious trouble, while Kyiv called for new sanctions against Minsk.
“Why make our country a target for retaliation in the event of a nuclear strike?” Cichanoŭskaja wrote on her Telegram channel. “For Belarus to become a peaceful country, it is necessary to stop Łukašenka.”
She recalled that Russia used Belarusian territory and infrastructure to invade Ukraine in February 2022, accusing Łukašenka of complicity in the war of aggression.
