JAKARTA - Belarus on Tuesday confirmed it would host Russia's tactical nuclear weapons, saying the decision was a response to Western pressure for years, including sanctions and what it calls military development by NATO member states (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) near its borders.
This statement from the foreign ministry is the first statement from the government since Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday Moscow would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, building a nuclear weapons storage facility in the country.
Although President Putin did not say when the deployment would take place, or provide further details, the announcement appears to pave the way for Moscow's first nuclear arms deployment beyond its borders since the Soviet collapse in 1991.
Belarusian Foreign Ministry said Russia's nuclear bomb offered protection after what it called a pressure campaign from the United States and its allies, aimed at overthrowing President Alexander Lukashenko's government.
"Over the past two and a half years, the Republic of Belarus has been the target of unprecedented political, economic and information pressure from the United States, Britain, and its allies in NATO, as well as member states of the European Union," the ministry said in a statement. a statement, quoted from Reuters March 29.
The ministry complained of "direct and brutal hand-mixing" in domestic affairs, in a country that has been ruled by iron for nearly three decades by President Lukashenko.
"Given this situation, and the legitimate concerns and risks in the field of national security that arise from it, Belarus was forced to respond by strengthening its security and defense capabilities," the ministry said.
The decision to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus is one of Moscow's toughest nuclear signals to the West, since Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year in what it calls a "special military operation",
Furthermore, Minsk said Russia's nuclear plan would not violate the international non-proliferation agreement, as Belarus itself would not have any control over the nuclear weapons.
"The training of Belarusian pilots capable of flying aircraft with certain warheads, modernizing such aircraft, and deploying nuclear warheads in Belarus without giving control of the warhead to Minsk or access to relevant technologies, is not at all contrary to the provisions in the non-proliferation agreement," he explained.
Previously, Minsk allowed Moscow to use Belarusian territory to send troops to Ukraine on February 24 last year. Belarusian forces themselves have so far not fought war, but have stepped up joint military training with Russian troops deployed in Belarus.
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