Russia-Belarus treaty opens path for nuclear deployment
The Russian leader Vladimir Putin has submitted a treaty on security guarantees to the State Duma, originally signed in December 2024 by Russia and Belarus. It outlines the possibility of using nuclear weapons in the event of a threat to the sovereignty of either country.
The document specifies that nuclear weapons may be employed if conventional weapons are used against Russia or Belarus. Additionally, the treaty permits the deployment of Russian troops and military installations in Belarus. An armed attack on one of the parties will be treated as an act of aggression against both countries, emphasized the Ukrainian portal "Glavred".
Possibility of nuclear weapons use
The Chairman of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, noted that ratifying the treaty will be prioritized. This is particularly significant in the context of ongoing provocations from EU countries, added Volodin.
During the treaty signing, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko requested the deployment of the medium-range ballistic missile system Oreshnik in Belarus. Putin promised to fulfill this request, announcing it would be feasible in the second half of 2025. These missiles are to be part of the Russian strategic forces, with their targets in Belarus to be decided by Minsk.
Deployment of Oreshnik missiles
Oreshnik is a ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear payloads, which Russia used in one of its attacks on Ukraine last autumn. Nuclear warheads were removed from Belarus after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, but in 2023, Putin announced that Russia would station tactical nuclear weapons there as a deterrent against Western countries.
