Amid Ukraine counterattack, Putin says first batch of nuclear weapons moved to Belarus
Russia has already stationed a first batch of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, President Vladimir Putin said. Putin said his deployment of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus was a reminder to the West that it could not inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, reported news agency Reuters.
Addressing Russia’s flagship economic forum in St Petersburg, Putin said, “I see no need for Russia to resort to nuclear weapons for now. These would only be used if Russia’s territory or state was threatened.”
Belarus is a key Russian ally and served as a launchpad for Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year. Moscow’s first deployment of such warheads – shorter-range nuclear weapons- could potentially be used on the battlefield.
“As you know we were negotiating with our ally, (Belarusian President (Alexander) Lukashenko, that we would move a part of these tactical nuclear weapons to the territory of Belarus – this has happened,” Putin was quoted by Reuters as saying.
“The first nuclear warheads were delivered to the territory of Belarus. But only the first ones, the first part. But we will do this job completely by the end of the summer or by the end of the year.”
Talking about Ukraine’s counteroffensive measures, a defiant Putin said, “Russian forces in Ukraine had so far not had any meaningful success. Kyiv’s forces were suffering heavy losses and had “no chance” against Russia’s military.”
The Russian leader’s comments follow claims from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko this week that his nation received the first part of the “bombs and missiles from Russia,” as per reported by The Hill.
“We have missiles and bombs that we have received from Russia,” adding, “The bombs are three times more powerful than those [dropped on] Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” Lukashenko was quoted as saying by Fox News.
The deployment of nuclear weapons to Belarus comes at a time when Ukraine has upped the ante against Russia and its forces are advancing in southern sectors of their counter-offensive against Russian occupation troops. Ukrainian forces around the devastated city of Bakhmut, captured by Russia last month, were trying to push Russian forces out from the outskirts of the town.
Criticising Putin’s decision, the US government said there is no indication the Kremlin plans to use nuclear weapons to attack Ukraine. “We don’t see any indications that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said after Putin’s comments, BBC reported.
The Russian leader announced in March he had agreed to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, pointing to the US deployment of such weapons in a host of European countries over many decades. The Russian step is nonetheless being watched closely by Washington and its allies as well as by China, which has repeatedly cautioned against the use of nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine.
Tactical nuclear weapons are small nuclear warheads and delivery systems intended for use on the battlefield, or for a limited strike. They are designed to destroy enemy targets in a specific area without causing widespread radioactive fallout, BBC said in a report.
