Russia and Belarus practiced deploying tactical nuclear weapons on Monday, just one day after Ukraine carried out its biggest drone attack on Moscow.
In a statement, Belarus’ Defense Ministry said the exercise, which was held with units of the Russian armed forces, intended to test the military’s readiness to launch nuclear weapons from mobile or unplanned launch sites. It also stated the drill was a scheduled event and not aimed against any specific third party.
The joint military exercise, which wasn’t immediately confirmed by the Russian Defense Ministry, took place following Ukraine’s largest drone attack on Moscow and the surrounding region. According to various sources, at least three people were killed, and Kyiv additionally claimed it had struck Moscow’s biggest refinery, an an oil depot in Solnechnogorsk, and a microelectronics factory.