1. Biden: Putin's threat to use nuclear weapons is real
The deployment of Russian nuclear weapons to Belarus was seen as a real threat by the United States (US) and its allies. US President Joe Biden insists that Russian President Vladimir Putin's threat to use tactical nuclear weapons is real.
This statement was issued by Biden several days after he condemned Russia's deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. On Saturday, Biden called Putin's announcement that Russia had deployed its first tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus completely irresponsible.
"When I was here about two years ago saying I was worried about the Colorado river running dry, everyone looked at me like I was crazy," Biden told a group of donors in California. "They looked at me like when I said I was worried about Putin using tactical nuclear weapons. That's real," Biden said as quoted by Reuters, Tuesday (20/6/2023).
The presence of nuclear weapons in Russia's ally was confirmed by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. He said last week his country had begun receiving deliveries of Russian tactical nuclear weapons, some of which were said to be three times more powerful than the atomic bombs the US dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
The move is Russia's first step towards deploying such warheads - less powerful, short-range nuclear weapons that can be used on the battlefield - outside Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union.
America itself has stated that it has no intention of changing its stance on strategic nuclear weapons in response to the deployment. The US has not seen any signs that Russia is preparing to use nuclear weapons.
Earlier, Russia dismissed Biden's criticism of the country's plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, saying the US has deployed such nuclear weapons for decades in Europe. Russia's deployment of nuclear weapons is being closely watched by America and its allies as well as by China, which has repeatedly warned against the use of nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine.
2. Putin is outspoken, nuclear weapons in Belarus are a warning to the West!
Russian President Vladimir Putin firmly said that the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus was a warning to the West. Speaking at Russia's main economic forum in St Petersburg, Putin confirmed that Russian tactical nuclear warheads had been sent to close ally Belarus.
However, Putin also emphasized that Russia does not see the need to use nuclear weapons at this time. "As you know, we are negotiating with our ally, (President of Belarus - Alexander) Lukashenko, that we will move some of these tactical nuclear weapons to Belarusian territory - this has happened," Putin said, as quoted by Reuters, Friday ( 6/16/2023).
"The first nukes have been delivered to Belarusian territory. But only the first part. We will do this work completely by the end of the summer or the end of the year," he continued. Putin stressed that Moscow's first deployment of nuclear warheads outside Russian territory since the collapse of the Soviet Union was intended as a warning to the West which continues to arm and support Ukraine.
He added that this step was an element of deterrence against everyone who was thinking about inflicting strategic defeat on Russia. "Nuclear weapons have been created to ensure our security in the broadest sense and the existence of the Russian state," he stressed.
Meanwhile Lukashenko, a staunch Putin ally, said late Tuesday that his country had begun taking delivery of Russian tactical nuclear weapons that are three times more powerful than the atomic bomb the US dropped on Japan in 1945.
The Russian leader announced in March that he had agreed to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. As justification, Putin pointed to the deployment of such weapons by the US in a number of European countries over several decades.
3. This is NATO's response to the presence of Russian nuclear bombs in Belarus
Russia confirmed that the deployment of tactical nuclear bombs to Belarus had been carried out. Russian President Vladimir Putin said it was a warning to the West about the consequences of Moscow's strategic defeat in the Ukraine war.
"The first nuclear warhead was delivered to Belarusian territory. But only the first, the first part. But we will do this work fully by the end of the summer or the end of the year," he said at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Friday, as reported by VoA News, Saturday (17/6/2023).
Moscow's deployment of nuclear weapons outside Russia - the first since the collapse of the Soviet Union - took place earlier than Putin's previously announced schedule, namely July 7. Putin first said in March that Russia planned to move tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, which became the launching pad for the country's invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago.
Putin also compared his steps with the deployment of United States (US) nuclear weapons in various European countries over the years. At the economic forum, Putin said the move was intended to send a message to any country to think again if they wanted to inflict strategic defeat on Russia.
In fact, Putin explicitly insinuated that the US continues to support and supply weapons and combat equipment to Ukraine.
"Why do we have to threaten the whole world?" Putin answered when asked about the possible use of such weapons. "I have said that the use of extreme measures is possible if there is a danger to Russian statehood," he said, as quoted by Reuters.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday said there was no indication that Russia was preparing to actually use nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that although his party had seen some preparations from Russia, there had been no recorded changes in Russia's nuclear posture.
"This is part of the nuclear messaging and nuclear rhetoric that we have seen for some time, part of a pattern that we have seen for several years," Stoltenberg said.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has also acknowledged that last Tuesday, his country had begun receiving deliveries of its first nuclear warheads from Russia. Some of them, he explained, had more than three times the power of the atomic bombs that the US dropped on Japan in 1945.
4. Belarus Will Not Hesitate to Use Nuclear Weapons If Attacked
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stressed that his party would not hesitate to use the tactical nuclear weapons Russia has stationed in the country if they were attacked. Lukashenko said Minsk was ready to host Russia's nuclear weapons, days after President Vladimir Putin said they would be delivered on July 7-8.
"Everything is ready. I think we will get what we asked for in a few days, and even a little more," he said in comments quoted by the Belta news agency as quoted by Al Jazeera, Wednesday (14/6/2023).
Lukashenko issued a warning that he would not hesitate to use weapons of destruction in response to potential aggressors. "Why do we need them? To ensure that not a single foreign soldier sets foot on Belarusian soil again," he stressed.
However, Lukashenko stressed that he hoped he would not have to make the decision to use this deadly weapon. However, he assured that there was no doubt that nuclear weapons would be deployed in the event of aggression against his country.
This is the first deployment of tactical nuclear weapons outside Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union. This was said to be a threat to Russia's safety, linked to the Ukraine war, which is supported by the NATO alliance which continues to supply combat equipment to Kiev in its proxy war with Moscow.
In March, Putin announced the decision to move nuclear weapons to Belarus, which became the launching pad for Moscow's special military operation in Ukraine. This step is also considered to only match the same action by the United States (US) which spread nuclear weapons in its European allies.
The war in Ukraine has led to what are said to be the most tense relations between the two most powerful nuclear powers, Russia and the US, since the Cold War.
Despite condemning Moscow's plans, the US said it had no intention of changing its policy towards strategic nuclear weapons. The US also believes that it has seen no signs that Russia is preparing to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Although it currently only houses short-range tactical nuclear weapons, Lukashenko said that Minsk was also working to ensure facilities in Belarus could accommodate long-range strategic nuclear weapons. But, he added, there is no urgent need for that and Moscow has not yet talked about providing this type of weapon to Belarus.
