Belarus says its troops will practise nuclear weapons plan and Oreshnik missile system at joint drills with Russia in September

Russia and Belarus plan to hold drills for nuclear weapon and Oreshnik missile system launches during their joint Zapad-2025 training on 12-16 September.

Source: Belarusian state news outlet BelTA citing Belarusian Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin

Details: Asked whether the drills would include training for launches of nuclear weapons and the Oreshnik missile system Khrenin said: "Of course, as part of the Zapad (West) drills, together with our Russian colleagues, we will work out issues related to planning the use of this type of weaponry."

Khrenin repeated Russian narratives about the "situation" on Belarus’s western and northern borders, citing the West’s alleged "militarisation" and "military activity".

He stressed that "nuclear weapons are capable of causing unacceptable damage to potential adversaries" but also noted that they are primarily "an important element of strategic deterrence".

Khrenin also claimed that NATO leaders are allegedly trying to use Zapad-2025 as a pretext for conducting their own drills and threatened them with a "response".

"What is most concerning is the decision by the Polish military leadership to create a unit of more than 30,000-34,000 service personnel. In our view, that is an intimidating force. We must monitor it very carefully (and we will do so) and respond. If they show any aggression towards the Republic of Belarus, we have something to respond with."

Why this matters: Before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia built up its military presence in Belarus, explaining it as preparation for joint drills. In February 2022, Russian troops attacked Ukraine, including from Belarusian territory, and Russia also launched ballistic missile attacks on Ukraine from Belarus.

Background:

• In December 2024, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin stated that Oreshnik systems could be deployed in Belarus in 2025 as part of Moscow’s threats to the West after Ukraine was granted permission to strike Russian targets with long-range weapons.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Vladimir Putin’s sabre-rattling with the Oreshnik missile is aimed solely at disrupting the efforts of President Trump to end the war.
• Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that Ukraine is developing its own air defence and missile system to deter potential Russian Oreshnik strikes.
• In January, Lukashenko claimed that Belarus would receive the Oreshnik missile system from Russia "very soon", but in March he said in Moscow that the promised Oreshnik was still not in Belarus.
• In July, Lukashenko said that Oreshnik would allegedly be deployed in Belarus by the end of the year.

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