Russia and Belarus announced on Tuesday that training of Belarusian soldiers in the use of “tactical” nuclear weapons had begun on Russian territory, after Moscow recently announced it would send this type of weapon to Belarusian soil.
“A tactical operational missile system Iskander-M has been delivered to the Belarusian armed forces. The system allows the use of ordinary missiles, but also nuclear missiles,” said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
“Since Monday, the Belarusian army has been trained in its use [do armamento nuclear] in a Russian training center,” Shoigu added, without specifying the location of the training unit.
In turn, the Belarusian Ministry of Defense indicated that the soldiers undergoing training will “study in detail” the issues related to the content and use of tactical nuclear ammunition.
“Belarusian soldiers will undergo a complete training cycle at a training center of the Russian Armed Forces,” the ministry said in a statement, without specifying how long the training will take.
On March 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow would send “tactical” nuclear weapons to Belarus, a traditional ally and main supporter in the conflict in Ukraine, sparking concern in Kiev and the West.
This is the first time Russia has deployed nuclear weapons outside its borders since the 1990s. Before the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Moscow had nuclear weapons stationed in Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan. But in 1996 they were again transferred to Russian territory.
According to Putin, 10 aircraft are already equipped with tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, and a special warehouse to house such weapons is expected to be completed by July 1.
So-called “tactical” nuclear weapons can cause serious and immense damage, but the destruction radius is more limited than that of “strategic” nuclear weapons.
Last week, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said he was ready to receive Russian “strategic” nuclear weapons in the country in addition to “tactical” weapons.
Russian officials have repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine if the conflict escalates significantly.
The Russian military offensive on Ukrainian territory, launched on February 24 last year, plunged Europe into what is considered the most serious security crisis since World War II (1939-1945).
Source: DN
