The defense ministers of Russia, Sergei Shoigu, and of Belarus, Viktor Jrenin, signed a series of documents in Minsk on Thursday that regulate the storage of Russian tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory.
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shoigu justified the signing of this nuclear agreement on the grounds of “extremely strong escalation” and NATO’s “threats from nuclear missions.”
For its part, the European Commission warned that “it is a step that only increases the tension” in the war against Ukraine.
“The transfer of nuclear weapons has begun”said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
For his part, the Russian Defense Minister added that “in the context of an extremely strong escalation of threats and activity of the joint NATO nuclear missions, we are obliged to take retaliatory measures in the military-nuclear sphere”.
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He recalled that the Iskander-M tactical-operational missile system, capable of using missiles not only in conventional but also nuclear weapons, it was already delivered to Belarus.
“Some of the Belarusian planes have been converted for the possible use of nuclear weapons. The military has received proper training,” he added.
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In turn, Khrenin said that the deployment of non-strategic nuclear weapons in Belarus, the accumulation of the potential of the grouping of troops of both countries, it is a response to the aggressive actions of the West.
“The deployment of non-strategic nuclear weapons is a effective response to the aggressive policy of hostile countries against us“said the minister.
“We hope that it will make your leaders think about the inadmissibility of a further escalation of the situation in the region,” he added.
Shoigu stressed that while Russia deploys non-strategic nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus, Moscow will retain control over them and over the decision on their eventual use.
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“Russia does not transfer nuclear weapons to the Republic of Belarus: control over them and the decision to use them remains with the Russian side,” he stressed.
International concern at the announcement
“This is not a step towards de-escalation. This is a step that only increases the tension that can be framed in the context of Russia’s illegal aggression. and Belarus’ cooperation cooperation,” said the European Commission’s Foreign Affairs spokesman, Peter Stano, on Thursday, adding that “the EU will closely monitor” the application of the agreement.
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🇷🇺🇧🇾 Footage of the signing of an agreement on the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus.
On the territory of the republic, Iskander-M and Su-25 will become platforms for the use of nuclear weapons. pic.twitter.com/W3gpgPUB0O
—Sinnaig (@Sinnaig) May 25, 2023
The signing of the agreement between the two countries occurs after the Russian president, Vladimir Putinwill announce in March a according to his Belarusian counterpart, Alexandr Lukashenko, for the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in the neighboring country.
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Already in April, the Belarusian Army received training in Russia on the use of special tactical ammunition for the Iskander-M missile system.
In the middle of the same month, Russia further announced that the training of Belarusian forces to operate Su-25 attack aircraft, which were re-equipped to have the ability to deliver tactical nuclear weapons.
EFE
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