A new military brigade armed with Russian Iskander missile systems appears to be forming in Belarus, satellite images show. The news comes in the shadow of Vladimir Putin’s new “nuclear threats”, with Belarus being a Russian satellite state.

Two new hangars are being built on the grounds of the military unit in Asipovichy, which look like shelters for the Iskanders that were built a year ago. An abandoned barracks and administration building is also being reconstructed there. Radio Liberty’s Belarusian service received satellite images of these hangars.

Artillery unit № 12147 houses the 465th missile brigade, one of whose divisions has an Iskander-M missile system capable of carrying nuclear warheads. It is possible that there are two such units in Belarus.

A satellite image from May 19, 2024 shows construction work on much of the military base where the Iskanders are located. Two abandoned buildings, probably a barracks and a canteen or headquarters, are being reconstructed.

Two new sheds, similar to the one built a year ago for the Iskanders, are also under construction. Next to them, the outlines of two more large foundations can be seen.

Belarus announced in February 2023 that has commissioned Russian Iskander missile systems, since their operators were trained in Russia. The missiles are capable of hitting targets with a range of eup to 500 kilometersthe Ministry of Defense of Belarus reported according to the Reuters agency.

“After completing the theoretical training, the operators carried out practical training at the shooting ranges of Belarus,” the ministry said.

President Putin had announced a plan to give Belarus nuclear-capable Iskander missiles. The systems delivered in December 2022 and Minsk assumed full control in February 2023.