1 of 1 Vladimir Putin pictured 16 June 2023 Photo: Ramil Sitdikov/Portal Vladimir Putin pictured 16 June 2023 Photo: Ramil Sitdikov/Portal
Russia has sent its first batch of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, President Vladimir Putin announced.
At an economic forum, he said the weapons would only be used when the Russian state was under threat.
On the other hand, the US government claims there is no evidence that the Kremlin is planning a nuclear attack on Ukraine.
“We see no signs that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said after Putin’s comments.
Belarus is a key ally of Russia and served as one of the launching pads for Putin’s fullscale invasion of Ukraine last February.
Putin said the transfer of tactical nuclear warheads will be completed by the end of northern summer.
When asked about a speech at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, the Russian president said the move was about “restraint” and reminding anyone “who thinks of inflicting a strategic defeat on us.”
“Why should we threaten the whole world? I have already said that extreme measures can be used if there is a threat to the Russian state,” Putin replied to a question from the meeting’s facilitator.
Russia bombs the hometown of the Ukrainian president
distant negotiations
Putin is set to meet leaders of African countries in St. Petersburg after they visited Kiev on Friday as part of a peace initiative they are presenting to both countries.
But while they were in town, they were attacked by Russian missiles.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called for a ceasefire between the countries and peace talks.
“We came here to hear and acknowledge what the people of Ukraine have been through,” he said.
But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that instead of diplomatic overtures, Russia should be diplomatically frozen to send a message that the international community condemned the invasion.
Kiev will not start negotiations with Moscow until Russia leaves Ukrainian territory, Zelenskyy said.
Putin, meanwhile, also reiterated his claim that Ukraine had no chance of succeeding in its ongoing counteroffensive.
The Ukrainian army is also running out of its own military equipment and will soon only use equipment donated by the West, Putin said.
“You can’t fight like that for long,” he said, warning that all US F16 fighter jets delivered to Ukraine “will undoubtedly burn.”
Ukraine has previously criticized similar statements, saying it is making progress in retaking areas in the east and south of the country.
On Friday, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said military units had advanced 2 km in all directions in the south of the country.
The BBC could not independently confirm the battlefield information.
The Russian leader also touched on economic issues at the meeting, claiming that Western sanctions against Russia had failed to isolate the country, instead leading to an expansion of its trade with “the markets of the future.”
He praised the new agreements with countries in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, calling them “reliable and responsible partners”.