MINSK (dpa-AFX) – A few days before the NATO summit in Lithuania, Belarus’ ruler Alexander Lukashenko confirmed the transfer of Russian tactical nuclear weapons to his country. A certain number of nuclear warheads had been brought to Belarusian territory, Lukashenko said at a press conference in Minsk on Thursday, according to the state news agency Belta. “You are under safe protection.”
The heads of state and government of NATO meet on Tuesday and Wednesday (July 11/12) in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius for their summit. Lithuania borders Russia and Belarus.
According to Lukashenko, the “war in Ukraine, the military special operation” is not a reason for a nuclear strike “from any side”. However, should there be a “NATO aggression” against Belarus or Russia, such as an invasion, then Russia would “retaliate” in alliance with Belarus in accordance with its national security doctrine, he threatened.
Russia has been waging a war of aggression against neighboring Ukraine for more than 16 months. Lukashenko is one of Russia’s closest allies Wladimir Putin.
In June, Putin announced that he would complete preparations for the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus on July 7-8. Then the transfer will begin. According to Lukashenko, the nuclear warheads have now arrived in Belarus earlier than planned. Tactical nuclear weapons, like conventional weapons, are intended for use in battle. Their explosive power and range are significantly lower than those of strategic nuclear weapons.
Belarus has received nuclear missiles for the first time since the 1990s, following the voluntary surrender of its nuclear weapons after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Belarusian armed forces are not capable of using nuclear weapons on their own, said Lukashenko. It is always traded together with Russia./dot/DP/nas