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RUSSIAN strategic nuclear weapons might be deployed in Belarus along with part of Moscow’s tactical nuclear arsenal, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said today.
His Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin announced last week that his government intended to deploy tactical, comparatively short-range and small-yield nuclear weapons in Belarus.
Any such siting of the strategic nuclear weapons, such as missile-borne warheads, that Mr Lukashenko mentioned during his state of the nation address would raise the stakes even higher were Russia to site them in Belarus, which is a close ally of Moscow.
The neighbouring country was a staging ground for Russian troops before the invasion of Ukraine began a little over 13 months ago.
Mr Lukashenko, in office since 1994, delivered his annual address amid escalating tensions over the conflict in Ukraine.
He said: “Putin and I will decide and introduce here, if necessary, strategic weapons.
“And they must understand this, the scoundrels abroad, who today are trying to blow us up from inside and outside — we will protect our sovereignty and independence by any means necessary, including through the nuclear arsenal.
“Don’t say we will just be looking after them and these are not our weapons. These are our weapons and they will contribute to ensuring sovereignty and independence.”
Earlier in the address, the Belarusian leader called for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
A truce without any preconditions must be announced, he said, and all movement of troops and weapons halted.
Belarus and Russia have intensified their co-operation since the start of the Ukraine war. Russian forces have used their troops and missiles stationed in Belarus, although no Belarusian military personnel have participated in the fighting.
Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan all gave up nuclear weapons after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
Under the Budapest Memorandum that accompanied the relinquishing of the weapons, Russia, the United States and Britain agreed to respect the territorial integrity of the three countries.
