According to the Belarusian head of state Alexander Lukashenko, Russia has begun transferring nuclear weapons to Belarus. “The transfer of nuclear war agents … has already begun,” Lukashenko responded in a web video on Thursday when a journalist asked about Russia’s nuclear weapons. The head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, announced the stationing of nuclear weapons in the neighboring country at the end of March.
Defense ministers of both countries signed a document on the deployment on Thursday, Russian state news agency Tass reported. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stressed that the weapons remain under Moscow’s control. “Russia is not handing over nuclear weapons to Belarus: control over them and the decision to use them remains with the Russian side,” Shoigu was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency in Minsk at the signing of the contract. The contract regulates the management of the parking lot.
Minsk wants to deepen partnership with Russia
Defense Minister Viktor Chrenin signed the document on the Belarusian side. “Today, the ‘collective’ West is exerting unprecedented pressure on both Belarus and Russia in all areas of national security,” Chrenin said at the signing. Minsk is therefore interested in deepening the partnership with Russia. Belarus is already Russia’s most important ally. Moscow also launched its aggressive war against Ukraine from Belarusian soil.
In late March, Putin announced the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in the neighboring country. He justified this with an alleged threat from the West. Later, Belarusian soldiers were trained to use Iskander missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Several Belarusian fighters were also converted to the new weapons. Lukashenko later explained that, in an emergency, Minsk could also obtain strategic nuclear weapons from Moscow – and decide for themselves whether to use them or not. However, this is denied by Russia. (dpa/Portal)