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Belarusian military says operation to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons was unique

Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin added that the decision to deploy Russian nuclear weapons was made after "the promises there would be no NATO expansion to the east and that Belarus would not begin to be strangled by sanctions were broken"

MINSK, January 23. /TASS/. The operation to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus was unique in terms of speed and secrecy, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said in the project Time Chose Us on the Belarus-1 TV channel.

"It was decided at the level of the Russian president and our president that we should bring back these weapons. The corresponding task was set to the defense ministries of Russia and Belarus. We quickly decided how we should go about this business. I won't disclose all details, but I should say that the operation was unique in terms of speed and secrecy," he said.

Khrenin added that the decision to deploy Russian nuclear weapons was made after "the promises there would be no NATO expansion to the east and that Belarus would not begin to be strangled by sanctions were broken."

On March 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that at Minsk’s request, Moscow would deploy its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, in a move similar to what the United States had long been doing on the territory of its allies. Moscow has already provided Minsk with Iskander tactical missile systems capable of carrying nuclear weapons and has helped Minsk to re-equip its planes to carry specialized warheads.

Belarusian missile force crews and air pilots have been trained on the territory of Russia. On June 16, Putin said that the first Russian nuclear charges had been delivered to Belarus, and the entire shipment would arrive by the end of the year. On June 23, Lukashenko said that a significant part of the expected ammunition was already in the country.

In late April 2024, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that Russia had deployed several dozen nuclear warheads in the country.