Russia, Belarus start 2nd stage of tactical nuclear weapons drills

Moscow, June 12 (IANS) Russian and Belarusian armed forces have begun the second phase of tactical nuclear weapon exercises, the Russian Defence Ministry said.

"The exercises are aimed at maintaining the readiness of personnel and equipment of units for the combat use of non-strategic nuclear weapons of Russia and Belarus, to unconditionally ensure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Union State," the Ministry said on Tuesday.

In the first stage of the drills, Russian forces conducted combat training tasks involving the Iskander operational-tactical missile system, specifically equipping launch vehicles with ammunition, Xinhua news agency reported.

Russian Aerospace forces conducted exercises involving the Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles.

--IANS

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