Belarus says half of promised Russian nuclear weapons have arrived
The President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, stated on Tuesday (1st) that half of Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons, pledged by the Kremlin, have already been installed in the former Soviet republic’s territory.
“Larger than half of the nuclear weapons supposed to be installed have already been delivered and positioned at various points in the country,” he said, as Belarusian news agency Belta reported.
During his visit to the Brest region, bordering Ukraine and Poland, Lukashenko emphasized the nuclear weapons represent “security.”
“God forbid we should use these weapons. I hope it never happens. We haven’t encroached on anyone’s territory, but please, don’t intrude on ours. We ensure our security with the help of our friends,” he stated.
The President noted that Belarusians are a “peaceful people”, despite a history of struggles.
“I don’t want my people, especially under my command, to fight. We don’t brandish weapons, but we prepare to defend our country at any time,” he asserted.
In mid-June, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced the arrival of the first nuclear weapons in Belarus, a process he anticipated would conclude by the end of the year.
The Russian and Belarusian Defence Ministers, Serguei Shoigu and Viktor Khrenin, signed the documents in May in Minsk, regulating the storage of non-strategic nuclear weapons in the former Soviet republic’s territory.
Minsk stated at that time that the country still houses dozens of Soviet-era silos that needed refurbishment to accommodate the weapons.
In March, Putin declared a deal with Lukashenko to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, accelerating defense policy integration over the last two years.
Belarusian military personnel received training in Russia in April about using special tactical ammunition for Iskander-M missiles, capable of carrying not only conventional but also nuclear weapons.
Training for Belarusian forces to operate Su-25 attack aircraft equipped to carry nuclear weapons was completed the same month.
The Russian Defense Minister clarified that Moscow will always maintain control over the warheads and also reserves the decision about their potential use.
“Russia does not transfer nuclear weapons to the Republic of Belarus: the control over them and the decision to use them remains with the Russian side,” Shoigu emphasized.
On the other hand, Putin assured that the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus is a measure of “deterrence” in response to the “threat” posed by NATO.
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