Belarus dismisses concerns as it launches joint nuclear drills with Russia
Belarus has commenced joint nuclear drills with Russia, which has raised alarms among Ukraine and NATO allies. The Belarusian Ministry of Defence claims the exercises are routine and not aimed at any specific nation. Ukrainian officials have condemned the drills, urging Western allies to impose stricter sanctions on both Belarus and Russia.
- ▪Belarusian and Russian forces are conducting joint training exercises focused on nuclear weapons combat.
- ▪The Belarusian Ministry of Defence stated that the drills are planned and not directed at any third party.
- ▪Ukraine has accused Russia of planning a new attack from Belarus, heightening regional tensions.
5 outlets in our directory ran this story, first to last over 11 hours. Coverage spans 2 points on the political spectrum — 3 lean left, 1 centre.
- ▪ Russia and Belarus stage joint nuclear weapons drills — France 24 (EN)
- ▪ Belarus launches joint drills with Russia to practice nuclear weapons use — ABC News — International
- ▪ Belarus holds nuclear weapons drills, Defence Ministry says — The Hindu — Top
- ▪ Belarus holds nuclear weapons drills, defence ministry says — Straits Times — World
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| Original publisher | Al Jazeera English |
| Canonical URL | https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/18/belarus-dismisses-concerns-as-it-launches-joint-nuclear-drills-with-russia?traffic_source=rss |
| Publication time | Mon, 18 May 2026 18:10:29 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-18T18:24:56.933Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-18T18:24:56.933Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
NewsBelarus dismisses concerns as it launches joint nuclear drills with RussiaStrong reactions from Ukraine and NATO allies as Belarusian and Russian forces train on nuclear weapon use.ListenListen (3 mins)SaveClick here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoA Belarusian soldier during joint military drills with Russia in 2025 [File: Ramil Sitdikov/Reuters]By Al Jazeera Staff and DPAPublished On 18 May 202618 May 2026Military units in Belarus have begun joint training exercises with Russia on nuclear weapons combat, the Belarusian Ministry of Defence has announced.The ministry said on Monday that the exercise was a planned event and not directed at any specific third party, according to a statement quoted by the Interfax…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Al Jazeera English.
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