MINSK, August 1. /TASS/. The Russian nuclear weapons that have been deployed in Belarus are a factor in deterring aggression, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said.

"Nuclear weapons mean security. God forbid we have to use them. I do hope that it won’t come to that," Lukashenko pointed out at a meeting with residents of the Belovezhsky farming town in the Brest Region, according to the "SB. Belarus Today" media outlet.

"I don’t want my people to go to war, particularly on my watch. It’s a terrible thing. We are drawing conclusions and learning lessons. We aren’t rattling weapons but we are preparing to defend our country," the head of state said.

According to Lukashenko, more than half of the nuclear weapons that were planned to be deployed to the country have already been delivered and distributed. "We aren’t breaking into others’ homes and expect others to stay away from ours. We will protect ourselves and our security with assistance from our friends," the president stressed.

He noted that Belarus relied on Russia’s support. "It will be hard to do on our own. But who will help us? Only our own people in the east, the Russians," Lukashenko said. He emphasized that the Russian leadership had responded to even the most serious requests from Minsk, which concerned the deployment of nuclear weapons. The president views them as an element of security along with the country’s nuclear power plant. "No one has ever attacked a country with nuclear weapons," he explained. "We also have a nuclear power plant, and I must tell you that it’s a very strong security factor. If it blows up - God forbid - it’s going to be a nightmare. That is why you have to be very careful with that. We can see what is happening with the nuclear reactors in Ukraine," Lukashenko added.