Despite threats of sanctions from the West, Russia is sticking to the planned stationing of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. “Of course, such a reaction cannot influence Russia’s plans,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday about possible punitive measures. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell had previously called on Belarus to give up nuclear weapons and otherwise threatened sanctions in response. He criticized the Russian plans as “irresponsible escalation” and a threat to European security.
Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin announced the stationing on Saturday. According to them, Belarus already has 10 converted aircraft capable of carrying these weapons. In addition, the country will receive Iskander missiles that can be equipped with nuclear warheads. The Russian President had also stressed that Moscow would stick to its commitments to non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. You would only be accused in Belarus that Russia would not give up control – and was doing nothing different than the USA in EU countries.
After voluntarily surrendering its nuclear weapons after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Belarus is now receiving nuclear missiles for the first time since the 1990s. In Belarus, ruler Alexandr Lukashenko, who is politically and economically dependent on Putin, had asked for this even before Russia’s war against Ukraine. He also had the constitution changed, which no longer stipulates a nuclear-weapon-free status. According to Putin, training on weapons in Belarus should begin next Monday, and the depots for the nuclear missiles should be completed by July 1st.