Belarus and Russia have begun joint military drills to practice the deployment and delivery of nuclear weapons using the Russian Oreshnik missile system.

The exercises signal a deepening of military integration between the two nations and increase the immediate presence of strategic nuclear capabilities near European borders.

The Belarusian Defence Ministry said that the training, conducted in cooperation with Russia, is designed to practice the delivery of nuclear munitions and their preparation for use [1]. These drills involve the physical deployment of the Oreshnik system on territory controlled by the Belarusian Defence Ministry [2].

The Oreshnik system is capable of delivering nuclear warheads and was seen in Belarus for the first time in a video released on Dec. 30, 2025 [3]. According to reports, the missile system has a travel time of 11 minutes to reach Britain [4].

Belarus has launched these joint drills to practice the use of nuclear weapons that Moscow has deployed on its territory [5]. The cooperation focuses on the technical readiness and operational delivery of these munitions as part of a broader Belarus-Russia military partnership [1].

President Vladimir Putin said the Oreshnik system is on combat duty [4]. The current exercises serve as a practical application of that status within the Belarusian theater of operations.

“"During the training... it is planned to practise the delivery of nuclear munitions and their preparation for use."”

The deployment of the Oreshnik system to Belarus transforms the regional security architecture by placing high-speed, nuclear-capable assets closer to NATO members. By practicing the actual delivery and preparation of these munitions, Russia and Belarus are moving beyond theoretical deterrence to operational readiness, increasing the risk of escalation in the region.