Russian forces are undergoing a test of their ability to deploy tactical nuclear weapons near the country’s border with Ukraine. The Kremlin announced the war games earlier this month in response to Western leaders suggesting NATO troops could enter Ukraine. 

According to the Russian news agency Tass, on Tuesday, “The first stage of the military exercise on the practice of preparation and use of tactical nuclear weapons started in Russia.” The outlet explains that Russian forces will deploy the “Iskander tactical missile systems and the hypersonic Kinzhal missiles with special payloads will be deployed to southern Russia.” 

Belarus is expected to join Russia during the war games. The Russian forces will simulate loading the tactical nuclear warheads onto delivery vehicles, but the Kremlin did not say if it planned to test-fire any missiles. 

Earlier this month, the Kremlin announced the drills, claiming it was a response to statements from Western leaders about sending troops to Ukraine. Leaders in France and Estonia have suggested deploying their country’s soldiers to Ukraine in recent weeks. 

Additionally, the UK publicly green-lit a Ukrainian attack on Russian soil using British weapons. The US refuses to explicitly support or condemn American weapons being used by Ukraine to attack Russia. 

Some NATO states have warned about the dangers of continuing to escalate support for the proxy war against Russia. Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said, “Some European politicians want to send soldiers to Ukraine while other European politicians are fantasizing about using nuclear weapons. In any event, this will mean a world war and those who are in close proximity to the armed conflict will have to pay for this.”

He added that Budapest had “grown weary of these dangerous statements” that aim to drag all of Europe and the world into a war with Russia.