In the past week, Russia and Belarus have announced measures that could be interpreted as readying nuclear weapons. Russia said that President Vladimir Putin had ordered drills near Ukraine to simulate the use of tactical nuclear weapons. And Belarus' defense minister said that his country's forces, including a unit of Iskander short-range missiles, are holding drills as well, per the AP. An analysis of satellite images shows that the two nations might be planning a more lasting cooperation on the deployment of nuclear weapons, with Russia building installations at a munitions depot in central Belarus that could house nuclear warheads, the New York Times reports.
Putin said last year that Russia was close to finishing work on "special storage for tactical nuclear weapons" in Belarus. The Times' analysis of satellite images and interviews with weapons experts said that the additions of an air defense system, a major security checkpoint, and a triple fence around a bunker within the base indicate the site is 120 miles north of the Ukrainian border, adjacent to the town of Asipovichy. Russia already has placed nuclear warheads in its territory close to Ukraine and NATO countries. But putting warheads in Belarus would emphasize Russia's nuclear might as a threat and deterrent, per the Times.
The suspected site is in the same town where Belarus bases its Iskander missiles, which Russia provided in 2022. The missiles can carry nuclear or conventional warheads. One expert who analyzed the site said the moves "appear designed to unnerve NATO's easternmost member states, but will not give Russia a significant new military advantage in the region." Another said, "We are reviving Cold War practices, hence we are reviving Cold War risks." (More nuclear weapons stories.)
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