NATO on alert: Putin’s ally set to receive Russian nuclear weapons

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): While the US is determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons at any cost, Russia has taken a shocking step that has shocked the world. Russia has begun dangerous preparations to deploy nuclear weapons on the soil of its ally Belarus. As part of this plan, Belarus has first initiated a special and secret training campaign for its soldiers. Once this training is complete, Belarus could receive highly destructive nuclear weapons from Russia, which will be used directly at Moscow's behest.

Weapons training is being given in a very secret manner

According to a Reuters news agency report, the Belarusian government has officially confirmed that it is training its soldiers in the intricacies of nuclear weapons use and that they may soon be equipped with these dangerous weapons. The Belarusian Defense Ministry has clarified that this entire process will be kept completely confidential. It is believed that these Belarusian soldiers will be trained by leading Russian scientists and will be closely monitored to ensure this entire process is completed smoothly and without any errors.

Russia has the world's largest nuclear arsenal

Russia has the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world. According to data from Stockholm International Nuclear Power Plant (SIPRI), Moscow possesses more than 5,000 nuclear weapons, including dangerous intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) such as the RS-28 Sarmat, RS-24 Yars, and Topol-M (SS-27). Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in a statement that Russia is going to deploy the Sammat missile, which has a range of 35,000 kilometers. It is considered the longest-range and most accurate missile in the world.

Why is Russia handing over weapons to Belarus?

Belarus is a crucial strategic partner for Russia, bordering Ukraine, Russia, and three NATO countries. President Vladimir Putin wants to leverage Belarus's geographical location to exert significant diplomatic and military pressure on all of Europe. In 2023, Putin stated that he would initially deploy 10 weapons there, with Belarus having no role in their deployment. However, reports of Belarusian soldiers being trained have cast doubt on Putin's claim. Belarus and Ukraine share a border of over 1,000 kilometers. By deploying these weapons, Russia is sending a clear and strong message that the Ukrainian war could become even more widespread and destructive in the future.