Kyiv says Belarus taken as a 'nuclear hostage' by Russia

Kyiv said on Sunday Russia has taken Minsk as a "nuclear hostage," following Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement of the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons to Moscow's ally Belarus.

A Ukrainian soldier from an anti-aircraft unit seen in position, at an undisclosed location near the frontline city of Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine, 25 March 2023

Photo: EPA/ROMAN CHOP

Taking to Twitter, Olexiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, said that the move "is a step towards internal destabilization" of Belarus that  "maximizes the level of negative perception and social rejection of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society."

"The Kremlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage," he said.

putin’s statement about placing tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus – a step towards internal destabilization of the country – maximizes the level of negative perception and public rejection of russia and putin in Belarusian society. The kremlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage.

— Oleksiy Danilov (@OleksiyDanilov) March 26, 2023

When announcing the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory, Vladimir Putin failed to specify the particular type of armaments.

Although there is no universal definition of tactical nuclear weapons, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, they could include warheads with smaller yields and missiles with a range of up to 500 kilometers.

On Saturday, President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia concluded an agreement with Belarus to station tactical nuclear weapons on its neighbour’s territory.

(ał)

Source: IAR, PAP