Russia and Belarus Conduct Joint Nuclear Drills Amid Ongoing Ukraine War

Amid the continuing Ukraine war, which has now crossed four years, Russia and Belarus have launched a massive joint nuclear military exercise involving land, sea, and air forces.

The three-day military drill reportedly began on Tuesday following recent Ukrainian drone attacks near Moscow that killed three people.

According to reports, the exercises are aimed at preparing nuclear forces to respond to possible aggression and external threats. Around 64,000 military personnel are participating in the operation, along with more than 200 missile launch systems, 140 fighter aircraft, 73 warships, and 13 submarines.

The drills come amid heightened geopolitical tensions between Russia and Western-backed Ukraine.

Under Russia’s revised nuclear doctrine introduced by President Vladimir Putin in 2024, any attack on Russia supported by a nuclear-armed nation would be treated as a joint attack against Russia. As part of this strategic policy, Belarus has also been included under Russia’s nuclear protection umbrella.

Russia has reportedly deployed advanced missile systems in Belarus as part of its growing military cooperation with the neighbouring country.

Meanwhile, during the ongoing nuclear exercises, Ukraine launched a drone strike targeting a Russian oil refinery located around 800 kilometres from the Ukrainian border.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy released visuals showing massive flames rising from the refinery following the attack. Reports stated that two people were killed in the strike.

This is reportedly the 11th Russian oil refinery targeted by Ukraine in the month of May alone. Officials said the repeated attacks have disrupted several major facilities with a combined production capacity of around 238,000 tonnes per day.

According to reports, nearly one-fourth of Russia’s overall oil refining capacity has been affected due to the continued drone strikes.