MOSCOW - Russian and Belarusian armed forces have begun the second phase of tactical nuclear weapon exercises, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

"The exercises are aimed at maintaining the readiness of personnel and equipment of units for the combat use of non-strategic nuclear weapons of Russia and Belarus, to unconditionally ensure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Union State," the ministry said.

The second stage, announced on Tuesday, involved working out joint training of Russian and Belarusian units "for the combat use of non-strategic nuclear weapons", the defence ministry said

In the first stage of the drills, Russian forces conducted combat training tasks involving the Iskander operational-tactical missile system, specifically equipping launch vehicles with ammunition. Russian Aerospace forces conducted exercises involving the Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles. 

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The second stage, announced on Tuesday, involved working out joint training of Russian and Belarusian units "for the combat use of non-strategic nuclear weapons", the defense ministry said.

"The situation on the European continent is quite tense, which is provoked every day by new decisions and actions of European capitals hostile to Russia, and above all by Washington," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said when asked about the drills.

"Therefore, of course, such exercises and maintaining combat readiness are very important for us."

With Reuters inputs