Concerns about the possibility of nuclear war have been raised once again as Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a meeting with his close ally Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, announced the forthcoming deployment of weapons.

This move follows Putin’s previous actions of positioning missiles near European capitals throughout this year.

The latest deployment involves the preparation and relocation of nuclear weapons to facilities in Belarus, scheduled to commence in early July, the Daily Star reported.

The two presidents held discussions in Sochi, Russia to outline these plans on June 9. Putin stated, “On July 7-8, the necessary preparations will be completed, and we will proceed immediately with the implementation of measures related to the deployment of relevant types of weapons on your territory.”

The process of relocating nuclear weapons has been ongoing since March, despite Putin’s denial of any violation of the non-proliferation regime.

The transfer of non-strategic nuclear weapons commenced in late May, coinciding with the announcement made by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu regarding the deployment of the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system to Belarus, as reported by IZ.ru.

This agreement marks the first instance since 1991 in which Russia has deployed tactical nuclear weapons on foreign soil. It is important to note that the Kremlin’s military authorities will retain control over these nuclear assets.

Written by staff