Russia has demonstrated what it claims to be footage of the delivery of nuclear warheads, including to Belarus, as part of major nuclear exercises taking place in Russia and Belarus, UNN reports.
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"As part of the nuclear forces exercises, the delivery of nuclear munitions to field storage points in the positional area of a missile brigade in the Republic of Belarus has been ensured," the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement distributed among Russian media on Thursday.
The Ministry of Defense of Belarus published footage, reportedly from the Russian MoD, and also stated that the video shows "the delivery of nuclear munitions as part of the exercise to field storage points in the positional area of a missile military unit in the Republic of Belarus."
"Personnel of the missile formation of the Republic of Belarus are performing combat training tasks of receiving special munitions for the 'Iskander-M' operational-tactical missile system, equipping carrier rockets with them, and covertly moving to a designated area to prepare for launches," the Russian MoD stated.
On Wednesday, Russia also demonstrated what it claims to be footage of the delivery of nuclear warheads, as Reuters notes, to "Iskander-M" mobile missile launchers, their loading, and movement to launch pads as part of major nuclear exercises. The video of the exercises shows Russian nuclear forces moving in a convoy through heavily forested terrain, camouflaging their equipment, and raising a launch tube into firing position. The Russian Ministry of Defense did not specify exactly where the exercises took place.
The three-day exercises began earlier this week and are taking place on the territory of Russia and Belarus.
The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) stated that the latest exercises were likely aimed at reinforcing long-standing narratives designed to influence NATO decision-making to the detriment of Ukraine, and at masking what the Institute claims are Russia's own difficulties in conducting the war in Ukraine.