MINSK, June 23 The head of the Belarusian Ministry of Defense Viktor Khrenin said that the training with the Russian Federation showed that the Belarusian army is ready to use tactical nuclear weapons if necessary.
«The training, conducted jointly with our Russian colleagues, showed the high readiness of our servicemen, their high level of training and ability to perform these tasks,» he said in an interview with the STV TV channel.
According to Khrenin, «we can state the fact that today we are capable and ready to use these weapons when necessary.»
He said that joint training between the Russian Federation and Belarus will continue.
«Of course, there will be more. After all, we need to constantly maintain our level. They will be held in a planned manner. Of course, we will notify some things, and we will do some things without notification. Everything will be fine with us,» Khrenin noted.
Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that, on the instructions of the president, the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces began preparations for holding exercises in the near future with missile units of the Southern Military District with the involvement of aviation and the Navy; the preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons will be practiced. The exercise is aimed, among other things, at unconditionally ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Russian Federation in response to provocative statements and threats from certain Western officials.
Belarus joined the exercises at the second stage.