Russia and Belarus begin massive three-day nuclear weapons drills May 19-21

On 2026-05-19, Russia began three days of nuclear weapons drills, with the exercise running from May 19 to 21, according to the Russian defense ministry and AFP-linked coverage. The drills involved thousands of troops and were described as a preparation and use exercise for nuclear forces in the event of aggression. The cluster also notes Belarusian participation in joint tactical nuclear drills.