March 26, 2023
3 mins read

‘Russia plans to deploy tactical N-weapons in Belarus’

Putin accused the ‘West’ of fueling the Ukraine crisis and said that the ‘West’ is gambling on the fates of entire states and peoples, according to the Kremlin’s statement…reports Asian Lite Néws

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. This marks Moscow’s latest attempt to use the threat of a nuclear war to ramp up tensions with the US and NATO over the invasion of Ukraine, Financial Times reported.

Putin said work would be completed on building storage units for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus on July 1, a move he likened to US nuclear deployments in Europe. The Russian leader said Moscow has already transferred an Iskander short-range missile system – which can be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads – to Belarus.

Though Putin said Russia would not transfer control of the tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus or violate its nuclear non-proliferation obligations, the decision is one of the Kremlin’s most significant steps with its arsenal since it invaded Ukraine more than a year ago, according to Financial Times.

The Russian President said the deployment was in response to a longstanding request from Belarus’s leader Alexander Lukashenko who has allowed Russia to use the country as a launch pad for attacks on Ukraine, thereby moving his country deeper into the Kremlin’s embrace.

“There is nothing unusual here: first of all, the US has been doing this for decades,” Putin said. “They placed their tactical nuclear weapons in six different allied Nato countries in Europe. [ . . . ] we have agreed to do the same thing, without, I stress, violating our international non-proliferation obligations,” Putin said.

“They have [tactical nuclear weapons] in certain countries, prepare the delivery systems, and train the crews. We’re planning to do the same thing,” he added, as quoted by Financial Times.

Putin accused the ‘West’ of fueling the Ukraine crisis and said that the ‘West’ is gambling on the fates of entire states and peoples, according to the Kremlin’s statement.

Putin, in an article for the Chinese Communist Party’s flagship newspaper, People’s Daily, stated that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is striving for the global reach of activities and seeking to penetrate the Asia-Pacific.

“The crisis in Ukraine, which was provoked and is being diligently fuelled by the West, is the most striking, yet not the only, manifestation of its desire to retain its international dominance and preserve the unipolar world order. It is crystal clear that NATO is striving for a global reach of activities and seeking to penetrate the Asia-Pacific,” Putin said.

“It is obvious that there are forces persistently working to split the common Eurasian space into a network of ‘exclusive clubs’ and military blocs that would serve to contain our countries’ development and harm their interests. This won’t work,” he added.

The government in Belarus, which is situated west of Russia on Ukraine’s long northern border, is among Moscow’s closest allies.

Belarus has had no nuclear weapons on its territory since the early 1990s. Shortly after gaining independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union, it agreed to transfer all Soviet-era weapons of mass destruction stationed there to Russia.

Belarus helped Russia launch its initial invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, allowing the Kremlin’s troops to enter the country from the north. There have been fears throughout the conflict that Belarus will again be used as a launching ground for an offensive, or that Minsk’s own troops will join the conflict, CNN reported. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Russia to skip annual Earth Hour

Previous Story

Erdogan, Putin discuss grain deal, Ukraine  

Next Story

Afghan female entrepreneur teaches girls in ‘secrecy’

Latest from -Top News

Modi: We’ll Hunt Them Down

The Prime Minister thanked nations that extended support to India in the aftermath of the terror attack…reports Asian Lite News In his first address after the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu

Moscow Steps Up Afghan Diplomacy

Russia sees a potential economic partner in the Taliban authorities, who praised Moscow for scrapping the “terrorism” label last week…reports Asian Lite News Russia has announced that it will elevate the Afghan

World leaders condemn Kashmir terror attack 

Strong messages of condemnation of the terror attack came from leaders in different parts of the world including the US, Russia, UAE, Israel, Singapore, France, Sri Lanka and Iran  World leaders strongly

India downgrades ties with Pakistan 

The decision — which also included the downgrading of diplomatic ties with Pakistan — came after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by the PM   India on

Sindh Lawyers Lead Protests Against Canal Plan 

The protests, which have been ongoing for weeks, have gathered significant attention from various sectors of Sindh’s civil society, including nationalist parties, farmers, writers, and members of the legal community.  Judicial activities
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Ukraine would die in a week, says Putin

Putin made this claim on the same day when the

Indian Community in Moscow Eager to Welcome PM Modi

PM Modi will be on a two-day official visit to