Putin Oversees Strategic Deterrence Forces Exercises from the Kremlin with Belarus President

Under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin, the Russian strategic deterrence forces launched exercises that will include the firing of ballistic and cruise missiles. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed to the "Novosti" agency that Putin ordered the start of the exercises. The agency published images showing Putin alongside his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, overseeing the exercises named "Special Training of the Armed Forces of Russia" from the presidential operations room in the Kremlin. This comes as the joint exercises "Union Resolve" between the two countries, taking place on Belarusian territory, have entered their final phase, with the presence of foreign officials and representatives from international media. These exercises are occurring amid heightened tensions in the Donbas region of southeastern Ukraine.