Russia and Belarus running nuclear drills right on NATO's doorstep is a direct provocation, not a routine exercise. With the New START treaty gone and Russia deploying hypersonic Oreshnik missiles to Belarus, the nuclear threat to Europe is more real than ever. Zelenskyy's warning that Moscow is planning new offensives from Belarusian territory — either into Ukraine or against a NATO country — deserves to be taken seriously.
These exercises — 64,000 troops, 7,800 pieces of equipment, ballistic and cruise missile launches — are a massive show of force designed to signal that Russia is fully prepared to escalate. The drills span the Leningrad and Central military districts and involve the Northern and Pacific fleets, making this far broader than any routine readiness check. With nuclear arms control collapsed, nothing is stopping Russia from expanding its arsenal unchecked.
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