Russia, Belarus stage nuclear drills

On 18 May 2026, Belarus began drills to practise the use of nuclear weapons together with Russia, the Belarusian defence ministry said. The joint exercise involves Russian nuclear weapons and takes place across multiple regions, according to Kyiv Post and Deutsche Welle.

Bloomberg reported that the drills began after warnings from Kyiv, and Euronews wrote that they come amid fears of a new offensive. Al Jazeera reported that Belarus dismissed concerns as it launched the drills.