Muraveiko told ONT television that one of the deterrent elements of aggression against Belarus is precisely the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons on the national territory.

“We have learned how to use these weapons. We know how to use them with confidence. We are capable of doing it and, you can be sure, we will do it if a threat is created against the sovereignty and independence of our country,” Muraveiko noted.

The officer pointed out that near the Belarusian border with the countries of the European Union there are ten NATO battalions with a total number of some 20,000 soldiers.

Muraveiko also emphasized that Minsk is concerned about the presence of these units and is forced to follow and assess each action by NATO troops closely. “We are studying the techniques and methods they are using,” he added.

In March 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow and Minsk had agreed to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, without violating international commitments.

According to the Russian leader, this is not a transfer of nuclear weapons to Belarus, which would be a violation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, but rather their placement.

Furthermore, he recalled that the United States has been deploying nuclear weapons for years in various countries within the NATO framework, including Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Türkiye.

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