Belarus in May 2026: the most important developments in security
In May 2026, the dominant security development in Belarus was the joint Russian-Belarusian nuclear drills. On 21 May Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko oversaw the exercises in Belarus, with Russia delivering nuclear warheads to a missile brigade in the Osipovichi district amid rising tensions with NATO. Lukashenko said Russian generals were pleased with the drills, while Putin said the nuclear triad would continue to guarantee the sovereignty of Russia and Belarus. The two countries also announced plans to hold Union Shield drills in 2027.
The drills ran alongside warnings about the Ukrainian border. On 15 May Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia was considering a plan to attack a NATO country from Belarus, without naming which one. On 21 May he warned of a fresh threat of attack from the Belarus front, and Ukraine deployed a large security operation along its borders with Russia and Belarus. On 26 May Belarus accused Ukraine of drone attacks, saying 116 attempts to cross its border had been recorded in one week, which Zelenskyy denied. Russia and Belarus said they had jointly blocked more than 500 explosive devices from Ukraine, and the Belarusian Armed Forces began a command and staff exercise.
Other statements in the month came from officials. Lukashenko said Belarus and Russia possess a substantial arsenal of weapons. Sergei Shoigu said European military exercises are openly directed against Russia and Belarus, and the CSTO Secretary General outlined plans to increase the alliance's combat potential. Minsk demanded that Lithuania reveal data on a drone border violation.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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