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Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has condemned joint Russian-Belarusian military drills involving scenarios for the combat use of nuclear weapons and nuclear support operations.
In a statement, the ministry said that the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, combined with joint nuclear exercises between the two countries, represents an unprecedented challenge to the global security architecture.
The ministry also argued that practicing joint nuclear strike operations violates Articles 1 and 2 of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
According to Kyiv, the Kremlin is turning Belarus into a nuclear outpost near NATO borders, while the militarization of Belarus makes Minsk a participant in Russia’s nuclear blackmail strategy.
Ukraine called for a stronger international response to what it described as “Russian-Belarusian saber-rattling” near NATO territory. Kyiv said such measures should include increased sanctions pressure on both Moscow and Minsk, as well as expanded military and political support for Ukraine.
Earlier reports suggested that Russia may be trying to draw Belarus deeper into the war, potentially to threaten northern Ukraine or NATO member states.
