Russia carried out major joint nuclear exercises with Belarus – in drills that involved 64,000 personnel and which marked some of Moscow’s largest nuclear exercises in recent years. The exercises showcased several key military assets, including a Borei-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, MiG-31 fighter jets equipped with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, Il-38 anti-submarine aircraft, and RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the drills were being done in "the preparation and use of nuclear forces in the event of aggression" and "Given the growing tensions in the world and the emergence of new threats and risks, our nuclear triad must continue to serve as a reliable guarantor of the sovereignty of the Union State of Russia and Belarus."