Russian President Vladimir Putin officially confirmed that he had authorized the deployment of tactical nuclear warheads to Belarus.
The move was made as a precautionary message to the West that Russia could not be strategically defeated. Putin detailed the dispatch during Russia’s flagship economic forum in St Petersburg, explaining that the first part of the nuclear warheads had already been transferred to Belarus, an ally of Russia, with the task expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Putin highlighted that the West has been attempting to bring about a strategic defeat for Russia in the Ukraine conflict. However, he reassured that Russia saw no need to utilize nuclear weapons and did not anticipate any changes in Moscow’s nuclear posture, which would only envisage such a move if the Russian state’s existence were threatened.
The U.S., its allies, and China closely observe Russia’s actions, expressing criticism and caution against using nuclear weapons in the Ukrainian war.
Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Amidst the ongoing conflict, Putin maintained that Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian forces has not resulted in any meaningful success. He warned of the heavy losses suffered by Kyiv’s forces and suggested that Ukraine’s reliance on Western-supplied military equipment would ultimately undermine its ability to sustain a prolonged fight. Furthermore, Putin issued a warning that Western-supplied hardware, including potential U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, would face destruction if provided to Kyiv.
Despite these statements, Ukraine has reported recapturing seven villages and a significant land area in the early stages of its counter-offensive.
