Russia passes nuclear-capable Iskanders to Belarus - Shoigu

At a selector meeting with the country's armed forces leadership, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported on equipping military units in Belarus with Iskander-M systems that can carry nuclear charges.

This was reported by Ukrinform with reference to the Telegram of the Russian state news agency.

"The Belarusian military has been transferred an Iskander-M missile system capable of using nuclear-capable missiles," Shoigu said.

According to him, on April 3, training of the Belarusian units on how to use the systems began at a training ground in Russia.

The Russian Defense Minister also pointed out that some Belarusian attack aircraft have gained the ability to strike with nuclear weapons. According to Shoigu, Belarusian pilots were retrained in Russia and learned how to operate aircraft equipped with nuclear weapons.

As Ukrinform reported, the day before, self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus was done on his initiative. It was not intimidation or blackmail, but an opportunity to "secure the Belarusian state."

On March 25, Russian president Vladimir Putin, for whom the ICC issued an arrest warrant, said that Russia would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Before that, in February, he announced the "suspension" of Moscow's participation in the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

According to Russian Ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov, the tactical nuclear weapons that Moscow intends to deploy in Belarus will be placed closer to its western border.

The EU called on Belarus to refuse to allow Russia to deploy nuclear weapons on its territory.