Russia and Belarus confirmed on May 21 that Russian nuclear munitions had been transferred to field storage facilities in Belarus as part of ongoing joint nuclear exercises, escalating tensions between Moscow and NATO members in Eastern Europe.
The announcement came alongside the release of video footage purportedly showing military vehicles moving through a forested area and missiles being loaded onto launch systems at an undisclosed location.
The three-day drills, which began earlier in the week across Russia and Belarus, come as Baltic states remain unsettled by repeated drone incidents in the region.
Once a more cooperative partnership, ties between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Moscow have deteriorated sharply, today resembling the tense standoff of the Cold War. NATO leaders view Russia as a direct security threat, but repeated warnings and condemnations from the Alliance have so far had little effect on the Kremlin.
So, how has a previously constructive relationship between NATO and Russia turned so fractious? Click through this gallery and find out more about why Russia fell out with NATO.