March 15, Pozirk. An upgrade at the Asipovičy military depot in Belarus’ Mahiloŭ region shows security features that could potentially match upgrades required for nuclear warhead storage, the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) think tank said on Thursday.
Citing a leaked CIA report available on Discord, it noted that a high-ranking Russian defense official visited the facility in February 2023 and reportedly inspected the potential for upgrades needed for nuclear warhead storage.
A satellite image by Maxar Technologies shows a quadruple-fence security perimeter and a roof-covered guarded access point, which could be used for housing Russian nuclear warheads for Iskander missile launchers supplied to Belarus.
Upgrade work at the facility may have started around the time of the alleged visit of the Russian official. Construction reportedly progressed slowly, with four security perimeters completed by late January 2024.
“The construction of the added perimeters shows significant digging for what could potentially be cables and various sensors,” FAS said. “Trees within the new inner perimeter have also been cleared by approximately 20 meters away from the fencing.”
The upgrades are consistent with the requirements for nuclear warhead storage, the report noted.
In late December 2023, Alaksandar Łukašenka confirmed that Russia delivered its tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus “a long time ago,” with the “last delivery” dating back to early October.
