Moscow announces re-equipment of Belarusian Su-25 planes for nuclear weapons
Su-25 single-seat armored subsonic attack aircraft (Photo:Vitaly V. Kuzmin/Wikipedia)
Russia will re-equip some Belarusian Su-25 warplanes to carry nuclear weapons, Deputy Head of the Russian delegation at a meeting of the Disarmament and International Security Committee of the UN General Assembly Konstantin Vorontsov has said, Russian outlet RIA Novosti reported on Oct. 15.
Vorontsov also said Russia will transfer nuclear-capable Iskander-M ballistic missile systems to Belarus.
"(However), at this stage, we are talking exclusively about the transfer to the Republic of Belarus of Iskander-M dual-warhead systems with missiles with conventional (warheads), as well as providing some Belarusian Su-25 aircraft (only) with the technical capability to carry nuclear weapons,” the Russian diplomat said.
“At the same time, the transfer of technologies for the conversion of aircraft into nuclear weapon carriers to Belarus is not envisaged.”
According to Russian media, he justified such actions by possible "advance of NATO nuclear infrastructure to the east."
"In particular, Poland has been declaring its desire to fully take part in joint nuclear missions for several years,” Vorontsov said.
“Recently, Warsaw's activity in this direction has sharply increased. This, of course, was taken into account by Russia and Belarus when considering countermeasures.”
At the same time, he added that now "it is not planned to physically equip Belarusian systems with nuclear warheads, nor to move such warheads through the Belarusian territory."
Ukrainian Ambassador to Minsk Ihor Kyzym was invited on Oct. 8 to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry and handed a diplomatic note stating that Ukraine was allegedly preparing a strike against Belarus. Kyiv denied this information and called it a provocation by Russia.
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