In a thinly veiled warning to NATO, Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled plans Saturday to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus.
The announcement constitutes Russia's most overt nuclear signal since its invasion of Ukraine in February of last year. Putin cited stepped-up allied support for Ukraine as the reason for the escalatory move.
Britain last week confirmed it would arm Ukraine's forces with armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium, prompting swift backlash from the Kremlin. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov labeled the munitions “a step towards accelerating escalation” after Putin falsely decried the munitions' “nuclear components.”
Despite the British ministry's and White House's dismissal of Russia's threats, Putin followed through this time on its escalatory rhetoric with its announcement to position tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
“We are doing what they have been doing for decades, stationing them in certain allied countries, preparing the launch platforms and training their crews,” Putin said of the U.S.'s own nuclear weapons positioned in several NATO countries. “We are going to do the same thing.” The Russian leader emphasized the move does not violate its treaty obligations.
The placement of nuclear weapons within Belarus's borders satisfies President Alexander Lukashenko's previous requests for nuclear weapons as a counter to NATO. The European nation borders NATO members Latvia, Lithuania and Poland and was used as a staging ground for Russian troops entering Ukraine in the February 24, 2022 invasion. Russia plans to maintain control of nuclear warheads sent to Belarus with construction of storage facilities slated for completion by July 1.
Tactical nuclear weapons, sometimes referred to as “small nukes,” are designed for specific tactical gains on the battlefield, rather than use in leveling cities from afar. Such warheads can be delivered through missiles, torpedoes and gravity bombs from naval, air or ground forces, Reuters reported. U.S. intelligence puts the number of Russian tactical nukes at around 2,000, compared to the United States' own 200, half of which are stationed at bases across Europe.
World leaders offered a range of responses to President Putin's Saturday announcement. Ukraine strongly condemned the Kremlin's move as “nuclear blackmail” and demanded an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council Sunday to take decisive preventive action against Russia's use of nuclear weapons. “The world must be united against someone who endangers the future of human civilization,” a Ukrainian Foreign Ministry statement read.
NATO flatly rejected Putin's comparison of its actions to the alliance's nuclear sharing. “Russia's nuclear rhetoric is dangerous & irresponsible,” NATO spokesperson Oana Lungesco tweeted Sunday. The Western alliance reiterated its commitment to protecting and defending allies.
The White House declined to confirm Putin's most recent rhetoric as mere “saber-rattling” but pledged to continue to monitor events. “We've seen nothing that would cause us to change our own strategic deterrent posture,” National Security spokesman John Kirby said Sunday on CBS's Face the Nation.
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Rerun Cuban missile crisis But set in EU
Wow
And of course this time we started it.
I hate to say it, but we started it then too, Nukes in Turkey mean anything?
A nuke or nukes area launched from any where’s within Russia or just over the border in Belarus, changes what exactly? If nukes are launched, they are coming from everywhere, make a mountain out of a mole hill if you like.
These are small nukes, a part of Russian war theory. They will use them and then the west will have to decide to give in, or launch their heavy weapons and start nuclear Armageddon. The US destroyed their similar small weapons and have no answer to a localized Russian strike.
I see through Putin’s thin and flimsy cloak of ‘Orthodox.’ He is naught but a Cold War Marxist who by definition of that moocher and greaser Karl Marx, worships nothing but POWER. And in his pre-senile manic dementia, he has reverted to a Cold War mentality.
Really?? He asked repeatedly for Ukraine not to put Nukes on the border. He asked NATO not to get involved as Ukraine was not a member. Years ago he asked to become a member of NATO and was shunned by all. Shunned then as now and Biden had ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO INTERVENE as Ukraine is not a member of NATO but Biden used NATO to push Putin to take further measures to protect Russia. The War Monger is Biden
I’m sure glad we have a strong lead in the WH. (sarcasm)
If you’re old enough to remember, Bush had promised Poland similar missiles, but Obama, Biden’s instructor, cancelled the missiles UNILATERALLY, getting NOTHING in return for the favor. Their policies of kissing Putin’s rear is the basis of his empowerment.
What did that have to do with getting something from Putin? Putin didn’t invade Poland. Putin asked Ukraine not to put missiles on the border – the interference by Biden and NATO that had no right to interfere was what triggered the invasion. Orban told the truth when he spoke about the history and why Putin invaded. People need to listen to those that have lived there for years – not Biden who coerced $$$ for his son from a foreign government.
Why is everyonr forgetting that Obama delayed events by pulling NATO missiles planned to be put in Poland and aimed at Russia.
Russia is anti Globalist and the WEF wants a population reduction war to take over the world. But they were not prepared to do it in Obamas presidency. Now the WEF architects are dying off and they want it al in their lifetimes ….hence the Ukraine and the ASOV Nazis.
(Putin has wanted Peace Talks since the Nazis took over Kiev in 2014)
This is what started the problem with Ukraine – Russia asked NATO NOT TO PUT MISSILES ON ITS BORDER but Biden had to interfere and urge NATO to get involved and push Putin. This was planned long ago when Obama unseated Ukraine former president and put the entertainer in the presidency. And don’t forget Biden and Hunter coerced the government to fire an employee they didn’t like so Hunter could have a high paying job. Why are they still not on trial for that? Putin probably didn’t have to invade but then no one would treat him with any respect. He didn’t ask for anything be given to Russia – he just did not want missiles at the border. Something really stinks about Ukraine with the hidden bio lab that the U.S. supported without telling the public and I’m sure there’s a lot more we need to learn about.