Russia and Belarus Conduct 'Non-Strategic Nuclear' Military Exercises Using Iskander Missiles

As attacks on Ukraine's electricity and water infrastructure increase, Russia and Belarus announced the start of the second phase of their 'non-strategic nuclear' military exercises. The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday, June 13, that the exercises would take place in the Leningrad military region using Iskander missiles and naval forces. The exercises began on Tuesday and include drills related to the Iskander-M missile system, equipping special vehicles for launching these missiles, and covert movement to the designated area for missile launch preparation. The military exercises between Russia and Belarus are conducted in response to threats that Moscow claims are posed by Western powers. Belarus is Russia's only close ally in Europe and provided its territory for the Russian army to launch an attack on Ukraine in 2022. The Iskander-M missile system is of significant strategic importance due to its high accuracy, long range, ability to carry diverse warheads, high mobility, capability to evade interception, and strong psychological impact. The previous round of the 'non-strategic nuclear' military exercises took place in May. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that last month's nuclear maneuvers were a response to 'provocative statements and threats from certain Western officials against the Russian Federation.' The Kremlin was particularly angered by comments made in April by Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, regarding the potential deployment of French or NATO forces in Ukraine, especially since the United States and some other NATO allies have allowed Kyiv to attack targets in Russian territory with weapons provided by them. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, told reporters on Tuesday that given the 'hostile decisions and actions' of the U.S. and its allies in Europe and their 'daily provocations,' these exercises and maintaining combat readiness are important. Sergey Shoigu, the former Defense Minister and Secretary of the Russian Security Council, also stated that these maneuvers are an appropriate response to Western support for Kyiv in attacking Russian civilian infrastructure. The Ukrainian army has targeted Russian refineries and energy infrastructure several times in recent months. Reuters reported on Wednesday that extensive Russian airstrikes have destroyed half of Ukraine's electricity production capacity, leaving people, even in Kyiv, the capital, facing severe shortages of electricity and water. Russia has explicitly stated that it considers Ukraine's energy infrastructure as 'legitimate military targets.'