Russian embassy rejects U.S. criticism of nuclear deployment in Belarus

May 28, BPN. The Russian embassy in the United States has rejected criticism of nuclear arms cooperation between Minsk and Moscow.

It said yesterday that Russia and Belarus had every right to defend their security by any means necessary, accusing the United States of waging a “hybrid war” against the two countries. It claimed that the move was in line with Russia’s international obligations because Belarus would not control the warheads.

Minsk gave up its Soviet-era nuclear weapons and joined an international nonproliferation treaty in the 1990s. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in March that Russia planned to deploy nuclear arms to Belarus, pointing to the United States having them in several allied countries.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed this week that Moscow alone would control the tactical weapons and decide on their use. Belarusian ruler Alaksandr Łukašenka said the transfer had already begun.

President Joe Biden criticized the move as “extremely negative.” The Department of State called the deployment deal “the latest example of irresponsible behavior” from Russia since its invasion of Ukraine over a year ago, although the White House said they saw no indication that Putin was “preparing to use nuclear weapons for Belarus.”