Russian President Vladimir Putin told the Belarusian leader he met today that Moscow will supply Belarus with missile systems capable of carrying nuclear weapons so that it can counter the “aggression” of the West.
According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, Putin and St. Meeting in St. Petersburg, Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko expressed his concern about the “aggressive” and “conflicting” policies of its neighbors Lithuania and Poland.
Lukashenko asked Putin for help in giving a “symmetrical response” to what he described as nuclear-armed flights by the US-led NATO near the Belarusian borders.
Putin also said that he does not see a symmetrical response necessary at the moment, but that the Russian-made Su-25 jets in Belarus’ inventory can be modernized at Russian factories if needed.
According to the summary of the meeting published by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Putin said, “We will transfer the Iskender-M tactical missile systems, which can use both conventional and nuclear versions of ballistic and cruise missiles, to Belarus.”
The mobile guided missile system Iskender-M, defined by NATO with the code name “SS-26 Stone”, replaced the Soviet “Scud” missiles. Its two guided missiles have a range of up to 500 km and can carry conventional or nuclear warheads.
Part of the Putin-Lukashenko meeting was broadcast on television.
Using the phrase “Minsk should be ready for anything”, Lukashenko specifically asked for help in making his country’s military aircraft capable of nuclear capability.
Tensions between Russia and the West have escalated significantly since Moscow sent its troops to Ukraine four months ago. During this period, while many Western sanctions against Russia were put into effect, Sweden and Finland also applied to join NATO, citing security concerns.
Earlier this week, Moscow reacted sharply to EU member Lithuania’s decision to ban the shipment of certain essential products to the Russian city of Kaliningrad, which is surrounded by EU territory on the Baltic Sea coast. the ban enacted by Lithuania; prevents the shipment of coal, metal, building materials and advanced technology products to Kaliningrad.