MINSK, December 24. /TASS/. Foreign intelligence services are actively interested in the details of the deployment of the Russian-made Oreshnik missile system and tactical nuclear weapons in the republic, Chairman of the State Security Committee (KGB) of Belarus Ivan Tertel said.

"We [are] an object of interest [for foreign intelligence services]. Among other things, [they are interested in] our latest developments, which [were] announced by the head of state - the deployment of nuclear weapons and the Oreshnik missile system in the territory of the Republic of Belarus. Foreign intelligence services are conducting extensive work to monitor these developments [around the Oreshnik missile system - TASS]," he said. A video recording of Tertel's conversation with journalists was published by the Telegram channel Pul Pervogo, which is affiliated with the Belarusian presidential press service.

Tertel said that Minsk had anticipated this situationt. "Therefore, we expected the statements of certain political figures and representatives of the intelligence services of foreign countries, our neighbors. We even knew they would take place," the KGB chief said.

Earlier, Lukashenko stated that a maximum of 10 Russian-made Oreshnik systems would be deployed in the republic. Speaking at a meeting of the All-Belarusian People's Assembly last week, he announced that the Oreshnik systems were being deployed in Belarus. Addressing the Assembly session, the president said that the Oreshnik missile system had assumed combat duty in the republic. He denied media reports that it had been deployed in Slutsk. Lukashenko also said that the missile system was half-produced in Belarus.