Nuclear exercise Involving the Belarusian Iskander-M

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko jointly directed nuclear exercises of the two countries for the first time.

Photo. Office of the President of Russia

The exercise took place on the territory of Russia and Belarus. The activities followed a previously prepared scenario. Their decisive phase took place on 19–20 May 2026, when the combat readiness of Russian and Belarusian missile forces was checked. Command structures and staffs, support units, and the missile units themselves took part. The most important element of the exercise was the delivery of Russian nuclear warheads to field reception points.    

Routine for Russia…

While such live exercises have been conducted in Russia for decades, it is difficult to assess how realistic they were this year in Belarus. Both states have declared that Russian nuclear warheads and elements of Russia’s intermediate-range Oreshnik missile system are located on Belarusian territory. For now, there is no hard evidence showing how much of these official statements is true and how much is propaganda. The Belarusians showed the ceremonial commencement of Russian Oreshnik combat duty in Belarus, but did not show the launchers themselves. The Russians did the same. So far, two missiles of this type have been launched against targets in Ukraine, but they were probably fired from „fixed” launch positions at the Kapustin Yar test range. Likewise, there is no hard evidence that the Russians have transported real nuclear warheads to Belarus.

What matters more, however, is that both states are preparing the infrastructure for such a presence in Belarus. Since Oreshnik launchers are theoretically self-propelled, and nuclear warheads are constantly moved by special transports, nuclear weapons could appear in Belarus at any moment, assuming they are not already there. The Belarusian Armed Forces themselves also already possess nuclear-capable delivery systems. These are Iskander-M and Tochka-U missile launchers, which arm the battalions of the 465th Missile Brigade in Osipovichi.  

It was precisely this brigade that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko visited on 21 May. After inspecting the unit, he moved to a provisional exercise command post. At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin went to his situation centre in Moscow. Both leaders directed the joint exercises via video links. The defence ministers and chiefs of the General Staffs of both states also participated in the exercises in this format. Naturally, actual command of the exercises was carried out from concealed command posts of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, and was performed by duty shifts operating on a 24/7/365 basis.    

…a novelty for Belarus

21st May was the day of live missile launches and other strategic-forces activity. From the 1st State Test Cosmodrome at Plesetsk, a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was launched and reached its target at the Kura test range in Kamchatka. From the Barents Sea, from aboard one of Russia’s frigates, a hypersonic Zircon missile was fired at the Chizha test range on the Kanin Peninsula, between the White Sea and the Barents Sea. Meanwhile, the crew of a nuclear-powered strategic submarine launched a Sineva intercontinental ballistic missile from a submerged position.  

A completely new element in exercise of this type was the launch of a Belarusian missile from the Iskander-M operational-tactical system. This was carried out by one of the battalions of the aforementioned 465th Missile Brigade from Russia’s 4th State Central Multipurpose Test Range at Kapustin Yar. A ballistic missile was used, which is worth noting because the launchers of this system are also adapted to fire cruise missiles, which Belarus also possesses.

A Russian Tu-95MS long-range aircraft also took part in the exercises, launching hypersonic cruise missiles, as did a MiG-31K aircraft, which launched a Kinzhal hypersonic missile.

While for the Russian Armed Forces these were essentially routine exercises, for the Belarusian forces they represented a significant novelty. Even so, the greatest propaganda objective was achieved by President Alexander Lukashenko, who once again presented himself as a Belarusian statesman — and this time during nuclear exercises.