Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) at a joint press conference with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow, Russia. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
During talks in the city of Sochi in Russia's Krasnodar region on June 9, President Vladimir Putin informed his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko that Moscow would begin deploying tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus after the facilities there were ready on July 7-8.
The Kremlin's announcement quoted President Putin as saying: "Therefore, everything is going according to plan, everything is going smoothly."
The two leaders previously agreed on plans to deploy Russian short-range land-based nuclear missiles in Belarus, under Moscow's command.
Previously, on April 25, in an interview with TASS news agency, Director of the Department of Arms Control and Non-Proliferation of the Russian Foreign Ministry Vladimir Yermakov stated that Moscow does not care what the West thinks about the plan to deploy tactical nuclear missiles in Belarus.
Mr. Yermakov asserted that only ensuring its own security, that is, "the security of Russia and Belarus, or the Union State," is important to Moscow.
Besides, he said: "The West can continue to maintain its own negative reaction. We care about ensuring security as much as NATO countries have 'concerned' for several decades regarding Russia's concerns about the deployment of US nuclear weapons in Europe."
Source: Vietnam+
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