Shoigu: NATO's nuclear activity forces Moscow and Minsk to take retaliatory measuresMINSK, May 25 – RIA Novosti.
The activity of NATO's joint nuclear missions is forcing Russia and Belarus to take appropriate retaliatory measures, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said.
"In the context of an extremely sharp escalation of threats and the activity of joint nuclear missions, NATO is forced to take retaliatory measures in the military nuclear sphere. In accordance with the decision of our supreme commanders-in-chief, work has been organized to deploy non-strategic nuclear weapons of the Russian Federation on the territory of the Republic of Belarus," Shoigu said at talks with Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin in Minsk.
He recalled that the operational-tactical missile system Iskander-M, capable of using missiles not only in conventional, but also nuclear equipment, was handed over to the Belarusian side. "Some of the Belarusian aircraft have been re-equipped for the possible use of nuclear weapons. The servicemen have received appropriate training," Shoigu said.