President Alexander Lukashenko said on Friday that Russia, which has already decided to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, could if necessary put intercontinental nuclear missiles there too.
In an annual address to lawmakers and government officials, Lukashenko said Moscow’s plans to station nuclear arms on the territory of its close ally would help protect Belarus, which he said was under threat from the West.
“I am not trying to intimidate or blackmail anyone. I want to safeguard the Belarusian state and ensure peace for the Belarusian people,” Lukashenko said.
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that the tactical missiles would remain under Moscow’s control, Lukashenko suggested he could use them with Russia’s agreement if Belarus was threatened with destruction….