Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that Belarusian Su planes can carry nuclear warheads.
“They (we’re probably talking about the West – about socialbites.ca) have to understand that no helicopter, no plane, will save them if they climb,” Lukashenka said.
With Vladimir Putin in St. He recalled that at a meeting in St. Petersburg, Belarus had agreed to re-equip aircraft so that they could carry nuclear weapons.
“What do you think, did we blur the language? Everything is ready!” said Lukashenka.
He threatened that in case of “any serious provocation” against Belarus, targets had already been set in Minsk. “Decision centers – we know them. I am not threatening anyone,” he said. According to the Belarusian president, the country is ready to adequately respond to threats from the West. At the same time, he acknowledged that neighboring Poland is not currently escalating the situation on the border.
“So don’t worry. They look after us and we look after them,” he said.
Lukashenka also warned Western countries about the aggravation of relations with Minsk. will deal with the nuclear-armed State of the Union. “If they start causing problems, the answer will be instant,” he stressed.
The Belarusian president did not specify how many aircraft were converted in service with Belarus. Initially, he called for the modernization of the Su-35, 22 of which are in service with the country (according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies Military Balance). However, Putin suggested completing the Su-25 attack aircraft, which Minsk has more.
According to the Telegram channel of the Belarusian state agency BelTA, we are talking about the modernization of the Su-24 bombers. In the original version (without a letter in the index), the Su-24s were withdrawn from the Belarusian armed forces in 2012.
The country’s Ministry of Defense explained that it was “easier to abandon the fleet of these planes, as there is such a huge financial burden.” “The remaining aircraft, and not so many, were withdrawn from service,” said Yury Zhadobin, who served as Minister of Defense.
What did Putin and Lukashenko agree on?
On June 25, St. At a meeting in St. Petersburg, Lukashenko suggested that Putin take mirror measures in response to the actions of the West, and asked for help in modernizing Belarusian aircraft so that they can carry nuclear warheads.
Noting the training flights of planes from the US and other NATO countries, Lukashenka said they were “preparing to carry nuclear warheads and nuclear payloads.”
“Please help us at least adapt the nuclear-bearing aircraft we have,” he asked, and called for the conversion of the Su-35 fighters. Putin said that Minsk has a large number of Su-25 attack aircraft that could be developed. This modernization should be done in aircraft factories in Russia,” he said. The President of the Russian Federation also promised to deliver the Iskander-M complexes to Minsk in the next few months.
Lukashenka later stated that the Belarusian side did not demand the transfer of nuclear weapons.
“It’s enough for Russia to have nuclear weapons”
In early August, at a conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the representative of Belarus said that it would not change Minsk’s denuclearization status. The diplomat pointed out that Belarus deliberately gave up the possession of nuclear weapons.
According to the head of the country, for Minsk it is enough for Moscow to have nuclear weapons and, if necessary, to protect the republic.
“It is enough for us that Russia has nuclear weapons. “We have such an agreement, if necessary, Russia will protect Belarus as its territory under the agreement,” he said. “Therefore, if it is necessary to use nuclear weapons, God forbid, of course, it should be. Because this is the end. It will be implemented.”
At the same time, the president of Belarus called himself a “categorical opponent” of nuclear weapons.
“It must be completely destroyed in the world. But now there are biological weapons in addition to nuclear weapons – you see what’s going on – cyber weapons. You see, this is even worse than nuclear weapons. That’s why we don’t need nuclear weapons,” he said.
But in November 2021, Lukashenka said that she could return to the President of Russia. demanding the return of nuclear weapons to BelarusIf NATO nuclear weapons run out in Poland.