‘It changes nothing’ – Russia deployed nukes in Belarus as copycat move of US deployment in allied states
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Control over the tactical nuclear weapons deployed in Belarus will remain in the hands of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, as he possesses the suitcase containing the necessary launch codes, said Portnikov.
“The only thing the President of the Republic of Belarus can do is allow a certain amount of Russian nuclear weapons to be stored on the territory of his country.”
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“However, any responsibility for the use of this tactical nuclear arsenal lies exclusively with the Russian Federation, its Armed Forces, and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces, Vladimir Putin,” explained Portnikov.
“Lukashenko himself simply does not have the technical capability to deploy such weaponry. This is completely ruled out and not even worth discussing.
”From a military standpoint, the placement of tactical nuclear weapons in Belgorod Oblast of Russia or in Belarus “does not change anything at all.”
“The idea of placing tactical nuclear weapons in the territory of the Republic of Belarus primarily resides within a political context: ‘Look, we are just like the United States. We are a superpower. If the US can deploy its weapons on the territories of other states, we can also deploy our nuclear weapons on the territories of other states. The US has allies, and we have allies’,” said Portnikov.
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“If we recall a well-known Soviet literary image, it’s like Elochka the Сannibal (comical and eccentric character from the novel “Twelve Chairs” written by Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov) competing with the billionaire Vanderbildt. There is such a course, I would say, of military-technical cooperation, and Elochka will have such a course,” explained Portnikov.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin announced on March 5 his intention to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, citing the transfer of depleted uranium munitions from the United Kingdom to Ukraine as the reason behind his decision.
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Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, condemned Russia’s plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus on March 26 and announced the EU’s readiness to impose sanctions againstthe aggressor state.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated on April 4 that the Iskander-M missilesystems, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, would be transferred to Minsk.
On May 25, the Defense Ministers of Belarus and Russia signed a document on the transfer of nuclear weapons to Belarus. On the same day, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko declared that Russia had begun transferring nuclear ammunition to his country.
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