Belarus May Use Nuclear Weapons in Case of Threats to Sovereignty, Says Chief of General Staff

Belarus may use nuclear weapons in response to threats against its sovereignty. This was stated by the Chief of the General Staff, Pavel Muraveiko. In an interview with the ONT television channel on Sunday, he said, "One of the recent arguments and theses presented as a deterrent factor is the return of non-strategic nuclear weapons to our territory. We are familiar with handling these weapons. We can use them confidently. We are capable of doing this. And we will do it if threats are posed to our country's sovereignty and independence."

Earlier, the Belarusian parliament had announced that the country views nuclear weapons as a means to ensure its own security. On June 12, the Belarusian armed forces began the second phase of exercises with non-strategic nuclear forces.