Russia deploys tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus

"The transfer of nuclear weapons has begun"

"During the meeting, documents defining the procedure for storing Russian non-strategic nuclear weapons in a special storage facility on the territory of the Republic of Belarus were signed," the press service of the Belarusian Defense Ministry said.

Meeting between top officials of the Russian Defense Ministry and the Belarusian Defense Ministry. Photo: TASS

Mr. Shoigu stressed that the measures taken by Russia and Belarus "comply with all existing international legal obligations." The defense ministers also discussed the current military and political situation and issues of military-technical cooperation between the two defense ministries.

On March 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that, at Minsk's request, Moscow would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, similar to what the US has long done on the territory of its allies.

Mr Shoigu said the West was doing everything it could to “prolong and escalate the armed conflict in Ukraine”. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said tactical nuclear weapons had been deployed on orders signed by Mr Putin.

“The transfer of nuclear weapons has begun,” Mr Lukashenko told reporters in Moscow, where he was attending talks with other leaders of former Soviet states.

The Russian president has indicated that the construction of tactical nuclear weapons storage facilities will be completed in Belarus by July 1. This is the Kremlin's first deployment of such weapons outside Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

What are tactical nuclear weapons?

Tactical nuclear weapons are used to gain tactical advantage on the battlefield and are typically smaller in yield than strategic nuclear weapons which are designed to destroy an entire city.

Russia has a numerical advantage over the US and the NATO military alliance when it comes to tactical nuclear weapons, with around 2,000 tactical warheads according to Western estimates. The US has around 200 tactical nuclear weapons, half of which are based in European bases.

Russian Defense Minister Shoigu said Iskander-M missiles, which can carry conventional or nuclear warheads, had been delivered to the Belarusian armed forces and that some Su-25 aircraft had been modified to be able to use nuclear weapons. "The Belarusian servicemen have received the necessary training," he said.

Under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, no nuclear power is allowed to transfer nuclear weapons or technology to a non-nuclear power, but allows weapons to be deployed outside its borders but under the control of the deploying state.

Bui Huy (according to TASS, Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nga-trien-khai-vu-khi-hat-nhan-chien-thuat-o-belarus-post249175.html