First nuclear warheads already in Belarus, Putin claims

The first nuclear warheads are already in Belarus, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday. He said that work on the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in our country will be completed by the end of the year ("We will complete this work in its entirety by the end of the year.") "This is as an element of deterrence. So that all those who are thinking of inflicting a strategic defeat on us do not forget this circumstance," he added.

Putin said a week ago that tactical nuclear weapons would be brought to Belarus as soon as the necessary facilities were completed. And these works should be completed by July 7-8. Thus, Aliaksandr Lukashenka's recent statement that "missiles and bombs have been received from Russia" was met with suspicion.

Vladimir Putin announced that Russian tactical nuclear weapons will be deployed in Belarus on March 25, 2023. According to him, the construction of the special storage facility should be completed by July 1. On May 25, Lukashenka said that the transfer of nuclear ammunition to Belarus had already begun. Later he repeated it again and again. And he emphasized that the stationing of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus was his request and that he had insisted on  it. He hopes to use them to maintain his power. At the same time, he cedes more control over Belarus to the Kremlin and it is done against the will of the Belarusian people, said the U.S. State Department.