MINSK, April 14. /TASS/. Minsk prepares existing sites for potential deployment of strategic nuclear weapons, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said Friday.

"Should it be necessary, we will have strategic nuclear weapons as well. And we already work on preparation of existing sites," he said, according to the Belarusian Defense Ministry.

In late March, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said, that should treats to Belarus continue to escalate, strategic nuclear weapons may be deployed in the republic. He said that he ordered "the military to immediately restore sites" where Topol strategic missile systems "with nuclear warheads" were deployed. Lukashenko noted that, back in the 1990s, when nuclear weapons were transported from the republic, he ordered to preserve most sites where strategic nuclear missiles were deployed.

On March 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia, under a request from Belarus, will deploy its tactical nuclear weapons in the republic, like the US have been doing on its allies’ territory for a long time. Putin added that the Russian side already helps Minsk to refurbish its planes, and handed over the Iskander tactical missile complex, which can use munitions with nuclear payload.