Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has confirmed the commencement of his country's reception of Russian tactical nuclear weaponry, including warheads reportedly three times more potent than the ones the US employed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
This marks the inaugural movement of such armaments-shorter-range nuclear weapons with potential battlefield use-outside Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
"In our possession are bombs and missiles delivered from Russia," announced Lukashenko during an interview with Russia's state-owned Rossiya-1 channel. The interview clip was later shared on the Telegram channel of Belarusian state news agency, Belta.
These nuclear devices, he claimed, possess "thrice the power of those used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki." The conversation occurred on a roadway, flanked by military vehicles, in a forest clearing with an apparent military storage facility forming the backdrop.
Last Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that Russia would begin stationing these tactical nuclear arms in Belarus once the necessary storage infrastructure is ready. Despite the armaments being in Belarus, operational control will remain with Russia.
Putin announced in March his intent to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, referencing the decades-long US deployment of similar weaponry across several European countries.
While the US has condemned Putin's decision, it has simultaneously assured no changes to its own strategic nuclear weaponry position. The US also stated it has not observed any indications of Russia preparing for a nuclear strike.
However, this latest Russian action is under close scrutiny by the US and its allies, as well as China, which has consistently voiced concerns about nuclear weapon usage in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
In the same interview, aired late on Tuesday, Lukashenko stated that Belarus has numerous Soviet-era nuclear storage facilities, five or six of which have been rehabilitated. He dismissed the notion that Russia's control over the weapons could hinder rapid deployment if deemed necessary, assuring that he and Putin could reach each other "at any moment."
Lukashenko, known for his close affiliation with Putin, stated earlier on Tuesday that the physical deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons within Belarusian territory is expected "in several days." He also indicated the country's readiness to accommodate longer-range missiles, if required.
The Belarusian President, allowing his country to serve as a launchpad for Russian forces targeting Ukraine, claims that this nuclear deployment will serve as a safeguard against potential antagonists. Belarus shares borders with three NATO members: Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland.
Having led Belarus since 1994, making him Europe's longest-serving leader, Lukashenko stated that the weapons were not merely requested from Putin but "demanded."
"We have always been a target," he expressed, adding, "No one has so far fought against a nuclear country, a country that has nuclear weapons."
Lukashenko, who has consistently accused the West of attempts to unseat him following widespread protests against his governance in 2020, contends that his electoral victory was legitimate, despite opposition claims of electoral fraud. He has since enacted a comprehensive crackdown against dissenting voices.
