Belarusian soldiers will undergo training in Russia to use the Iskander-M ballistic missile systems and will study the operation of nuclear missiles.

The Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus reported this.

The Belarusian military is planned to complete a full cycle of training at one of the training grounds of the Russian Federation. The main emphasis will be on “improving practical skills in preparing the missile system for use, training in its deployment, and conducting training and combat launches.”

In addition, the Belarusian military will study the “maintenance and use of tactical nuclear munitions of the Iskander-M ballistic missile systems.”

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also confirmed the information about the start of the exercises during a conference call with the heads of the Russian Armed Forces.

He emphasized that the Belarusian military received Iskander-M ballistic missile system that can use both conventional missiles and nuclear missiles.

Shoigu also added that the attack aircraft of the Air Force of Belarus have been given the ability to strike with nuclear-capable missiles.

At the end of March, Vladimir Putin announced that the Russian Federation will deploy tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. According to Putin, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus has been requesting to deploy these weapons in the country for a long time.

The Russian president stated that the construction of a storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus should be completed by July 1.

The decision to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus was finalized after the UK announced its intention to provide Ukraine with shells containing depleted uranium.

On February 1, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus reported that the military of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus started operating the Iskander-K and Iskander-M systems, which they received from Russia. The number of these weapons received by Belarus is unspecified.