©picture alliance / Picvario | Komsomolskaya Pravda
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin has launched a clear warning in an interview with Russia's Izvestia newspaper.
Russia warns everyone that it will not shy away from anything or anyone and would even deploy nuclear weapons if it deemed it necessary.
"We remain constantly ready to use all means, including nuclear weapons, to ensure the security of the Union of States," Minister Galuzin said on Tuesday to a Russian newspaper, referring to the political, security and economic alliance between Russia and Belarus Tuesday in the Russian newspaper.
In his statement published on Tuesday, the Russian deputy foreign minister stressed that Russia has a military presence in Belarus and that the countries regularly conduct joint checks to test their preparedness.
As recently as May, Russia and Belarus held joint military exercises with their nuclear arsenal. More than 65,000 military personnel participated in the exercise. It included test launches of ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
Ukraine, the EU and NATO felt intimidated by this Russian military exercise in which 65,000 military personnel, 7,800 units of equipment and weapons, including over 200 missile launchers, took part. Aircraft, warships, submarines and nuclear submarines were also used. Test launches of ballistic missiles and cruise missiles were also scheduled. The nuclear arsenal exercise also took place in Belarus.
Russia uses Belarus as a base of operations for its armed forces and says it has part of its nuclear arsenal stationed in Belarus. Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko announced in 2023 that he would allow Russia to place its nuclear arsenal on Belarusian territory by decree. These would be nuclear weapons intended for short range. Belarus borders Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia making the European Union particularly close for the Kremlin. Three of its neighbors; Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, are also NATO members.
©picture alliance / Picvario | Komsomolskaya Pravda