Reuters reported on June 9 that Russian President Vladimir Putin said on June 9 that Russia would start deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. This is the first time that Moscow has deployed tactical nuclear warheads outside Russia since the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
According to reports, Putin announced in March this year that he had agreed to deploy such weapons in Belarus. He also mentioned that the United States has deployed tactical nuclear weapons in many European countries for decades.
Putin talked about the deployment of nuclear weapons when having dinner with Belarusian President Lukashenko in Sochi, his summer resort and Black Sea resort. He told Lukashenko: "Everything is going according to plan."
Lukashenko said, "Thank you, Vladimir vladimirovich."
According to reports, the current conflict in Ukraine has lasted for more than 15 months, which is the largest ground conflict in Europe since the end of World War II. Putin said that the United States and its Western allies are sending weapons to Ukraine, which is part of an expanding proxy war, with the aim of bringing Russia to its knees.
Putin described the war as "a life-and-death battle fought by Russia in the face of expanding NATO." He warned the West that Moscow would not back down.
The United States criticized Putin’s deployment of nuclear weapons, but said it had no intention to adjust its strategic nuclear posture, and said it had not seen any signs that Russia was preparing to use nuclear weapons.
At present, it is not clear where Russian nuclear warheads will be stored in Belarus, and Russia will still control these nuclear warheads in the future.
Putin is the final decision-maker of any nuclear weapon launch activity. He said that the mobile short-range ballistic missile "iskander" capable of carrying nuclear warheads has been handed over to Belarus. Russian sources say that the iskander missile has a range of 500 kilometers. Belarus indicated that the Su -25 attack aircraft had been modified to carry such warheads. According to Russian sources, the range of the Su -25 attack aircraft can reach 1,000 kilometers.
If nuclear weapons are launched from the main air base in Belarus on the outskirts of Minsk, these vehicles capable of carrying nuclear warheads may make almost the whole of Eastern Europe — — Including many NATO members — — As well as cities such as Berlin and Stockholm.
According to the Tass news agency, Kirby, the strategic communication coordinator of the National Security Council of the White House, said on the 9th that the US did not see any indication that the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus brought the risk of nuclear war.
He also said that there is no reason for Washington to change the combat readiness of its strategic forces because of this news.