Lukashenko announced the beginning of the transfer of non-strategic nuclear weapons to BelarusMINSK, May 25 — RIA Novosti.
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko announced the beginning of the transfer of nuclear weapons from Russia to the neighboring republic.
"It was necessary to prepare there (in Belarus. — Ed.) and storage locations, and so on. We've done it all. Therefore, the movement of nuclear weapons has begun," Sputnik Belarus quotes him as saying.
According to him, this process is taking place within the framework of agreements with Moscow on the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
Lukashenko promised to clarify after returning to the country whether nuclear weapons are already in the republic.
The head of state guaranteed the safety of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus.
At the beginning of the year, Moscow and Minsk agreed to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. As Vladimir Putin reported, the construction of a storage facility for this type of weapons on the territory of the republic will be completed on July 1.
The President stressed that Russia will not violate international obligations and will do the same thing that the United States has been doing for decades by deploying its tactical nuclear weapons in Europe. As the press secretary of the head of state Dmitry Peskov noted, the reaction of the West will not affect Moscow's plans.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu clarified that Russia has retained control over non-strategic nuclear weapons deployed in Belarus. Today, the head of the Defense Ministry and his Belarusian counterpart Viktor Khrenin signed documents defining the procedure for keeping Russian non-strategic nuclear weapons in a special storage facility on the territory of the republic.
In April, the Armed Forces of Belarus were supplied with the Iskander-M tactical complex, capable of using nuclear-powered missiles. In addition, some of the Belarusian assault aircraft have been converted into nuclear weapons.
