Drone drills beneath London and nuclear training in Belarus
A look back at two military exercises reported in the days up to 22 May 2026, one in the British capital and one involving Belarus and Russia.
What did military preparation for a possible conflict with Russia look like on 22 May 2026? In London, it meant a drone-warfare exercise on an unused platform of Charing Cross tube station.
NATO conducted the exercise, called Operation Arcade Strike, on that date. It was designed to help the alliance prepare for potential conflict with Russia.
Training in Belarus
A few days earlier, on 18 May 2026, the Belarusian defence ministry announced that its military had begun joint training exercises with Russia on nuclear weapons combat.
The two reports, four days apart, show defence activity on both sides of the divide: an alliance rehearsing the use of drones in an underground setting in London, and Belarus and Russia training together on nuclear weapons combat.
