Belarus warns that crossing strategic ‘red lines’ by Western politicians may lead to Russia using nuclear weapons.

Belarusian Official Threatens to Use Tactical Nuclear Weapons

“If there remains any reason in the heads of Western politicians, of course, they will not cross this red line,” he said, adding it “will lead to irreversible consequences” if authorities resort to using tactical nuclear weapons.

Alexander Volfovich, the state secretary of Belarus’ Security Council, has reportedly threatened to use recently transported tactical nuclear weapons as a warning to Western politicians. He urged them not to cross strategic issue “red lines” with their Russian ally.

Volfovich claimed that the United States broke an agreement with Belarus, which provided security guarantees without imposed sanctions in exchange for the withdrawal of nuclear weapons after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. “Today, everything has been torn down,” he said.

Russia and Belarus announced last week that an unknown number of nuclear warheads had already left Moscow for the allied territory after the two nations signed a deal confirming the weapons deployment while remaining under the control of the Kremlin.

US Officials Concerned About Russia’s Tactical Nuclear Weapons

US officials believe Russia has approximately 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons designed for military forces to use on the battlefield against enemy troops. The weapons include aircraft-carried bombs, short-range missile warheads, and artillery rounds.

Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko allowed the Russian government to use its territory to launch the war in Ukraine in February 2022. He told reporters in Moscow last week that “the movement of the nuclear weapons has already begun.”

Volfovich said officials view the weapons in Belarus as “one of the steps of strategic deterrence.” He added that “the use of chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons in this conflict would be met with severe consequences.”

US State Department Condemns Russia’s Actions

U.S. State Department officials condemned Russia transporting the weapons in a briefing last week, calling it “the latest example of irresponsible behavior that we have seen from Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine over a year ago.”

“As we have made clear, the use of chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons in this conflict would be met with severe consequences,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

Volfovich said last month that officials would deploy tactical or strategic nuclear munitions at the nation’s western border that are primarily as a deterrent to ensure the security of both Russia and Belarus. “The number of warheads doesn’t matter,” Volfovich said. “What matters is how they will be used and whether they will be used correctly. And we know how to use them. As for whether they will have to be used or not … I don’t think things will go so far that they will need to be used.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the U.S. and its allies of waging an undeclared war against the country since launching the full-scale war in Ukraine. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in a meeting with Belarusian officials last week accused the “collective West” of waging a proxy war to “prolong and escalate the armed conflict in Ukraine.”