The Belarusian ruler, Alexander Lukashenko, confirmed on 14 June that Russia was moving tactical nuclear warheads for deployment in Belarus. He did not rule out the possibility that some of the weapons had already arrived in the country.
Thus, Belarus, which borders three Nato countries, has become a host country for Russian military bases where nuclear warheads will be deployed. This is the first time Russia has deployed its nuclear weapons abroad since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and also the first case of any country stationing nuclear warheads outside their borders since the signing of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Russia says it will maintain control over the weapons, which may be launched on Iskander-M missiles and from Su-25 planes, both of which Belarus has in its arsenal.
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