Belarus and Russia say nuclear drills are not aimed at other countries. What is known

Publication date: 2026-05-30

Claim

Belarusian and Russian officials present joint nuclear drills in Belarus as a planned and defensive training event that is not aimed at any specific country and does not threaten regional security.

Verdict

Missing context. The drills themselves are confirmed by official statements and international reporting. But the claim that they are not aimed at other countries leaves out the wider context: the drills involved Russian nuclear assets, took place in Belarus near Ukraine and NATO states, followed the stationing of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, and unfolded during Russia's war against Ukraine.

In brief

Belarus announced training with Russia related to the delivery and preparation of nuclear munitions. According to Al Jazeera and DW, the Belarusian Ministry of Defence said the training was planned and not directed at a third party.

Ukraine condemned the drills and called the stationing of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus a challenge to the non-proliferation regime. Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko later joined a joint exercise of strategic and tactical nuclear forces by video link.

So the accurate description is not simply routine training. It is a Russia-Belarus nuclear signal during a war and a period of high tension near NATO borders.

Why this matters

Claims that such drills are only defensive and threaten nobody can reduce public attention to real security risks. Audiences in Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Ukraine and the wider region need to separate confirmed facts from political reassurance.

This fact-check does not claim that the drills prove an imminent attack. Open sources do not prove that. But they also do not support treating the event outside the military context or ignoring the element of nuclear pressure.

What we checked

We checked three questions:

• Whether Belarus and Russia announced nuclear-related drills.

• What Belarusian and Russian officials said about the purpose of the drills.

• Which facts and reactions show the wider context.

Evidence

1. The drills were announced

Al Jazeera reported on 18 May 2026 that military units in Belarus had begun joint training with Russia on nuclear weapons combat. The report said the Belarusian Ministry of Defence described the event as planned and not directed at any specific third party.

DW also reported that Belarus announced training involving Russian nuclear weapons. According to DW, the Belarusian defence ministry said the drills would test readiness to deploy nuclear weapons in different areas of the country and practise the delivery of nuclear munitions and their preparation for use.

2. The context goes beyond claims of routine training

Al Jazeera noted that Russian tactical nuclear weapons had been stationed in Belarus after Alexander Lukashenko requested their deployment. Belarus borders Ukraine and three NATO members: Lithuania, Latvia and Poland.

On 21 May, Al Jazeera reported that Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko joined joint nuclear exercises by video conference. According to that report, the training covered the management of strategic and tactical nuclear forces, including weapons deployed on Belarusian territory. The report also listed systems or launches reported by Russia, including Yars, Zircon, Sineva, Iskander-M and Kinzhal.

Defense News reported that Russia announced nuclear drills without prior public notice and included the Belarusian track. The article said Belarusian units practised the delivery and preparation of nuclear munitions in coordination with Russia.

3. Ukraine and allies see the drills as a risk, not a neutral event

Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the stationing of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus and the joint nuclear exercises were a challenge to the global security architecture. In the statement cited by Ukrainska Pravda, the ministry said turning Belarus into a nuclear foothold near NATO borders created a dangerous precedent.

Al Jazeera also reported Ukraine's position and said Kyiv called on Western allies to tighten sanctions against Moscow and Minsk.

What remains unknown

Open sources do not show that these drills alone prove an inevitable attack against Ukraine or a NATO country. There is also no independent public verification of every military detail named by Russian and Belarusian sources.

Open sources do allow a firmer conclusion: the drills were nuclear-related, involved Russia, included Belarusian territory and took place during Russia's war against Ukraine.

Conclusion

The claim that the joint Belarus-Russia nuclear drills were only planned training and were unrelated to other countries is incomplete. It leaves out important context: Belarus already hosts Russian tactical nuclear weapons, the drills involved preparation of nuclear assets, and Ukraine and NATO allies view such moves as part of security pressure.

A more accurate wording is: Belarus and Russia conducted nuclear-related drills and described them as defensive, but the available facts show that the event was part of a wider nuclear demonstration during a war and a period of tension near NATO borders.

Sources

• Al Jazeera: Belarus dismisses concerns as it launches joint nuclear drills with Russia, 18 May 2026. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/18/belarus-dismisses-concerns-as-it-launches-joint-nuclear-drills-with-russia

• DW: Belarus launches drills involving Russian nuclear weapons, 18 May 2026. https://www.dw.com/en/belarus-launches-drills-involving-russian-nuclear-weapons/a-77204498

• Al Jazeera: Putin and Lukashenko monitor joint Russia-Belarus nuclear exercises, 21 May 2026. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/21/putin-and-lukashenko-monitor-joint-russia-belarus-nuclear-exercises

• Defense News: Russia launches unannounced nuclear exercise, including Belarusian launch sites, 20 May 2026. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/05/20/russia-launches-unannounced-nuclear-exercise-including-belarusian-launch-sites

• Ukrainska Pravda: Joint Russia-Belarus nuclear exercises are an unprecedented challenge, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, 18 May 2026. https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/05/18/8035251/

Corrections and updates

If new official documents, independent satellite data or additional details about the composition of the drills become available, this article will be updated with the date and nature of the change.