The dual messaging − nuclear muscle-flexing at home, high-profile diplomacy abroad − fits a pattern the Kremlin has used repeatedly.

Belarus has launched exercises on the combat deployment of nuclear weapons in cooperation with Russia.

Russia deployed Oreshnik, its latest hypersonic, nuclear-capable missile, to Belarus last year

Russia’s army on Tuesday began three days of nuclear weapons drills involving thousands of troops across the country, as Kyiv escalates its drone attacks