Russia launches strategic nuclear missile exercises

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the start of strategic nuclear exercises involving the launch of ballistic missiles, said the RIA news agency, quoted by the Kremlin.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the exercises had begun, writes Aljazeera.

Separately, Belarus's president, Aleksandar Lukashenko, a close ally of Putin, participated in military exercises along with Putin from a centre of situations in the Kremlin, state-run Belarusian media reported.