On June 11, Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the second stage of drills focusing on the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons by Russian and Belarusian forces commenced.
"As part of the second stage of the exercises of non-strategic nuclear forces, the personnel of the missile formation of the Leningrad Military District are practicing combat training tasks of obtaining special training ammunition for the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system, equipping launch vehicles with them and covertly advancing to the designated position area for preparations for missile launches," the ministry wrote on Telegram.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that the nuclear drills should be understood in the context of recent hawkish statements by Western politicians about their "readiness" and "intention" to deploy troops in Ukraine.