Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has threatened to deploy nuclear weapons on NATO countries if he faces aggression, amid heightened tension on the country’s border with Poland.
Warning the West in an interview with state-owned BelTA, the Belarusian leader said he would deploy nuclear weapons “immediately once aggression is launched against us”.
‘IIf an aggression against our country is launched from the side of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, we will respond immediately with everything we have,” he said.
“And the strike will be unacceptable.”
Poland accused Minsk of violating its airspace and responded by announcing that it would deploy thousands of troops to NATO’s common border with the country earlier this month. Warsaw said in return that Belarusian helicopters violated Polish airspace.
Poland’s defense minister said last week that some 10,000 troops would eventually be stationed at the border.
Belaurs president Alexander Lukashenko (pictured) threatened to deploy nuclear weapons on NATO countries if he faced aggression
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (left) gives an interview to Diana Panchenko (right), a pro-Russian Ukrainian journalist, in Minsk, Belarus, where he threatened to deploy nuclear weapons on NATO countries s he was facing an assault
A Polish serviceman is pictured ahead of a news conference by Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak in Jarylowka August 12 where he announced Poland was deploying thousands of troops to its border with pro-Russian Belarus.
He continued: “NATO supports Poland, Lithuania, Latvia. We certainly understand that the forces are incomparable. But we will inflict an unacceptable strike on them and they will suffer unacceptable damage. This is what our security concept is based on.
Lukashenko – known as ‘Europe’s last dictator’ – has said he will not deploy nuclear warheads unless the country comes under attack first. But he stressed that he would not hesitate to act immediately in the event of an attack.
We’ll be watching soon. Once the aggression is committed against us, we will follow the plan,” he said.
“We will respond with everything we have. And we didn’t bring nuclear weapons here to scare anyone. Yes, nuclear weapons are a powerful deterrent. But these are tactical nuclear weapons, not strategic ones.
“That’s why we will use them immediately once the aggression is launched against us.”
He also threatened to hit Ukraine with nuclear weapons if it “committed aggression” and said he also had “something else besides nuclear weapons” that they would also deploy.
“And we won’t warn you that we will strike the decision-making centers once you cross the red lines. This will be done without warning. That’s why leave us alone.
Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile systems and other armored vehicles drive along a street ahead of a Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, May 9. Lukashenko said in June that Belarus had started taking delivery of Russian tactical nuclear weapons
Polish servicemen attend a press conference by the Polish Defense Minister where he announced that thousands of troops would be deployed to its border with Belarus, calling it a deterrent as tensions between neighbors rise
A Polish border guard patrols the area of a metal wall built on the border between Poland and Belarus, near Kuznice, Poland, June 30, 2022
While it was announced in June that Russia had delivered tactical nuclear weapons to its ally, the precise number of warheads it received is unknown.
It comes after China’s defense minister said on Thursday that his country would strengthen military cooperation with Belarus.
Li Shang Fu met Lukashenko in Minsk and said that “the purpose of my visit to Belarus is precisely the implementation of important agreements at the level of heads of state and the strengthening of bilateral military cooperation”.
Neither side gave details on what the cooperation will entail, but the two countries have agreed to hold joint military exercises next year.
Li visited Russia just before heading to Belarus.
Russian troops that were deployed in Belarus were part of the Russian invasion force in Ukraine and Russian troops and weapons are still there.
Belarusian forces have not taken part in the war in Ukraine and Lukashenko said on Thursday that China’s military assistance would not be directed against third countries.
