Russian presidential spokesman Dimitri Peskov on Sunday criticized the “hysterical” response by the United States and its allies to the recently announced agreement to build silos for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Russia’s ally.
“Right now, this is a very important issue. There has been an overwhelming response from the West to the president’s announcements. [Vladimir] Putin, [mas] they do not forget the issue of the US nuclear weapons that are here in Europe, close to our country,” Peskov told public television channel Rossiya1, according to the Interfax news agency.
“They are reacting hysterically to our plans to build storage silos for tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus,” he argued.
Peskov also pointed out that the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus does not imply any adjustment to Russia’s nuclear deterrence strategy and explained that the deployment of these weapons is a response to NATO’s approach to Russia’s borders.
Belarus has had Iskander tactical missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads for months, but now Russia has announced that it plans to send up to 10 nuclear-powered fighter jets into Belarusian territory and build silos to store tactical nuclear weapons.
Source: DN
