Russian official outlines conditions for withdrawing tactical nuclear weapons from Belarus

According to Sputnik (Russia), Mr. Aleksey Polishchuk, Head of the Department of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said: "I would like to note right away that the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus is a response to the long-standing destabilizing nuclear policy of NATO and Washington, as well as to the recent fundamental changes in the very security of Europe."

Polishchuk stressed that the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus is a mandatory deterrent measure aimed at ensuring the security of Belarus, which has a common defense space with Russia. Therefore, the hypothetical withdrawal of nuclear weapons from the territory of Belarus can only be implemented if the United States and NATO abandon their policy of undermining the security of Russia and Belarus. Polishchuk explained that this means that the United States must completely withdraw all nuclear weapons and their corresponding infrastructure from Europe.

In March, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that, at the request of Belarus, Russia would deploy tactical nuclear weapons on its neighbor's territory, similar to what the United States has long done on the territory of its allies.

In June, the Russian leader said Moscow had delivered the first part of its nuclear warheads to Belarus and would complete the transfer of tactical nuclear weapons by the end of the year. Mr. Putin said the deployment of nuclear weapons in the ally country was a deterrent and a signal to any adversary thinking of inflicting strategic defeat on Russia.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced on June 13 that Belarus has begun receiving tactical nuclear warheads from Russia, including some weapons with a destructive power three times stronger than the two atomic bombs used by the US in World War II.

Shortly after Moscow deployed nuclear weapons in neighboring countries, the US criticized Russia and Belarus. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on June 16: "It is ironic that Russia is now talking about deploying nuclear weapons on the territory of a neighboring country, including countries that gave up these weapons after the collapse of the Soviet Union."

The US secretary of state also criticized the Belarusian president for accepting nuclear weapons from Russia. “This is just another example of Lukashenko making provocative, irresponsible choices,” Mr. Blinken said. However, the US secretary of state insisted that Washington had no reason to adjust the country’s nuclear status.

According to Tin Tuc Newspaper