MOSCOW (AP) – Crew members of the Belarusian Air Force have completed training to use tactical nuclear weapons as part of Russia’s plan to use the weapons in ally Belarus during the fighting in Ukraine.
The ministry released a video in which a Belarusian pilot said a training course in Russia provided the crews of the Belarusian Air Force’s Su-25 ground attack aircraft with the skills needed to handle the weapon.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month that Russia plans to deploy some of its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. It was another attempt by Kremlin leaders to bring up the nuclear threat to deter Western powers from supporting Ukraine.
Russia has a union agreement with Belarus that provides for close political, economic and military ties. Russian forces have maintained a presence in Belarus, using Belarusian territory to invade Ukraine from the north in February 2022.
The deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus brings it closer to potential targets in Ukraine and NATO member states in Eastern and Central Europe. Belarus shares her 1,250-kilometer border with NATO member states Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
Such weapons are designed to destroy enemy forces on the battlefield. They have a relatively short range and much weaker power compared to nuclear warheads mounted on long-range strategic missiles that can wipe out entire cities. Putin said the construction of Belarus’ tactical nuclear weapons storage facility will be completed by July 1. Russia also helped modernize Belarusian fighter jets to carry nuclear weapons, and provided the country with short-range Iskandar missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
Putin stressed that Russia maintains control of all nuclear weapons deployed in Belarus, just as the United States controls tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of NATO allies.
Authoritarian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has suggested that some of Russia’s strategic and tactical nuclear weapons could be transferred to Belarus.
Belarus’ Defense Minister Viktor Vlenin on Friday raised the possibility again that “it could be the next step” if the West continues what he described as a hostile course. “Violence can only be met with violence, otherwise they won’t get it in the West,” said Krennin. “We’re preparing sites that already have .”
Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine had Soviet nuclear weapons stationed on their territories, which were handed over to Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
