The transfer of warheads to the republic's storage facilities has already begunAfter the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, almost all of Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic countries will fall into the zone of their possible use.
At the same time, the transfer of warheads to Belarusian storage facilities has already begun, President of the Republic Alexander Lukashenko told reporters on May 25. The day before in Minsk, the Defense Ministers of the two countries, Sergei Shoigu and Viktor Khrenin, signed all the documents necessary to start this process. What kind of nuclear weapons will appear in Belarus, where they will be deployed and how this will change the balance of power in Europe, Izvestia was sorting out.
Rockets and planes
Vladimir Putin announced on May 25 that Moscow and Minsk had reached final agreements on the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus. It should be understood that we are not talking about strategic nuclear warheads, but about nuclear equipment for operational and tactical ballistic missiles 9M723 Iskander-M complexes (this was previously transferred to our ally) and bombs for Su-25 attack aircraft of the Belarusian armed forces.
There is very little information about nuclear weapons of this class in the public domain. It is understandable — all world powers keep their nuclear secrets, and Russia is no exception here. The nuclear warhead for Iskander missiles was developed by the Russian Federal Nuclear Center VNIIEF in Sarov and has a capacity of 5 to 50 kilotons. This can destroy the location of the command post of a battalion or brigade of a potential enemy with all the infrastructure or is guaranteed to level a significant part of a large military base.
Su-25 attack aircraft of the Belarusian Air Force during landing
Image Source: Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
The range of the missiles of the complex is at least 480 km. From the territory of Belarus, they can hit targets almost throughout Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic states. At the same time, it is extremely difficult to shoot down ballistic missiles even with modern air defense and missile defense systems.
Aerial bombs from Su-25 aircraft can hit relevant targets on the battlefield — these can be fortified areas, bridges, headquarters, warehouses, locations of equipment of a potential enemy within a radius of 200 to 300 km. For the use of nuclear bombs, Belarusian Air Force aircraft have undergone special re-equipment and can now use ammunition with increased levels of protection against unauthorized use.
Under strict control
A complex system of protection against use without the authorization of the Supreme Commander is valid even for tactical ammunition. Special devices are used that prevent the possibility of detonation of warheads and bombs without obtaining such a sanction. And just in the installation of such equipment needs all the equipment that can use them. Who will give such a sanction in the case of the use of nuclear weapons from the territory of Belarus?
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on May 25: "Russia, by deploying non-strategic nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus, does not transfer them to the republic, control over them and the decision to use them remains with Moscow."
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during a meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the CSTO countries in Minsk. May 25, 2023
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Vadim Savitsky
Thus, the principle that operated during the years of the Warsaw Pact Organization's existence will be implemented, when in the event of war, the armed forces of the countries participating in the treaty could use nuclear missiles and bombs, but the storage, disposal and removal of the corresponding stages of protection remained with the Soviet military.
The 12th Main Directorate of the Ministry of Defense (GUMO) of Russia will be responsible for the placement, storage, transportation, delivery and preparation for the use of Russian nuclear weapons on the territory of the Union Belarus.
In Soviet times, nuclear ammunition storage bases were deployed on the territory of many Union republics, and even more so in the strategically important western direction. And if strategic nuclear warheads were mostly stored on ready-to-launch missiles, then tactical nuclear ammunition was not stored in peacetime in active troops.
Reloading of the 9M723 rocket on the Iskander-M RTR during exercises
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Pavel Lisitsyn
The 12th GUMO was engaged in the assembly and storage of nuclear ammunition in the USSR, and as of 1990 there were more than 20 storage bases in the department. It was this structure that ensured the safety and readiness for use of the entire nuclear arsenal of the USSR, and it was it that issued nuclear warheads from its warehouses in the event of the "H" hour.
Back in 1951, it was decided to begin the construction of the first military warehouses for storing nuclear charges.
In 1989, 1,180 nuclear munitions were stored on the territory of Belarus. In addition, strategic nuclear forces — mobile intercontinental missile systems "Topol" - also served here.
The forces are gone, the infrastructure remains
In 1996, the last missile brigade of the Strategic Missile Forces left Belarus — all nuclear forces and warheads were withdrawn to the territory of the Russian Federation. But the infrastructure of their storage has been preserved, and the territories of such bases have remained in state ownership.
Of course, over time, warehouses, underground storage began to decline. But in the last year, reconstruction has been carried out there and conditions have been created for the reception of warheads and bombs. The task of the allied forces is to ensure their safety and security and, if necessary, to organize prompt delivery to combat units.
The Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system within the framework of the joint Russian-Belarusian strategic exercises Zapad-2021 at the Mulino training ground. 2021
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
According to the order, specialists of the 12th GUMO will bring warheads to the brigades for installation on missiles, and bombs will be delivered to the airfields of front-line aviation.
The decision on the use of nuclear weapons is made by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and the Minister of Defense of Russia and only in accordance with the nuclear doctrine of the Russian Federation. Without a real threat, such an application is impossible.
Dmitry Kornev