Belarus says it will join nuclear exercises with Russia

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Belarus said on Monday its army was taking part in the second stage of Russian exercises ordered by President Vladimir Putin to train for the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons.

The first phase of the exercises took place in southern Russia last month, in what nuclear analysts saw as a warning signal from Putin to dissuade the West from engaging more deeply in Ukraine's war.

Belarusian Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Viktor Khrenin said the exercises were a proactive measure aimed at “increasing our readiness to use so-called retaliatory weapons.”

“Now more than ever, we are determined

“to respond to any threat that weighs both on our country and on the Union State” between Russia and Belarus, he said.

He did not specify where the exercises took place or what types of weapons were used. Belarus shares borders with three NATO countries: Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.

“We have no goal of creating tension on regional security issues. We do not project relevant military threats to third countries or anyone,” Khrenin added.

“We are a peaceful state, we do not threaten or seek confrontation with anyone, but we will keep our powder dry!”

Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko announced last year that Russia was transferring some of its tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus. These are warheads designed for use on the battlefield, as opposed to long-range strategic weapons intended to wipe out entire enemy cities.

Some Western analysts say tactical nuclear weapons have gained greater prominence in Moscow's thinking since the start of the war in Ukraine, where its conventional forces struggled in the first two years.

In theory, the use of such a weapon could cause a stunning shock to the West without necessarily triggering a full-scale nuclear war, although the risk of triggering a cycle of escalation would be enormous. Since the first day of the war, Putin has repeatedly warned the West about the size and power of Russia's nuclear arsenal.

There was no immediate information from Russia about the exercises with Belarus, although Moscow earlier announced they would take place.

The first phase took place last month in the Akhtubinsk region in southern Russia, according to geolocation confirmed by Reuters, and involved the Iskander and Kinzhal missiles.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said last month it hoped the exercises would “calm hot heads in Western capitals” after French President Emmanuel Macron raised the possibility of sending European troops to fight Moscow in Ukraine , and that British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that kyiv had the right to do so. use weapons supplied by London to strike targets in Russia.

(Reporting by Reuters; writing by Mark Trevelyan; editing by Christina Fincher)