Russia has started moving nuclear weapons to Belarus, says President Lukashenko

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that Russia has started moving tactical nuclear weapons to his country.

“We had to prepare storage areas and stuff. We have done this, so the movement of nuclear weapons has already begun," Lukashenko told Russia’s Pervy TV.

Lukashenko, who was on a trip to Moscow, said some of the weapons might already be transferred.

He refused to specify the number of weapons and locations of their storage in Belarus and said: "Don't worry about nuclear weapons, we are responsible for this."

On Thursday, the Russian and Belarusian defense ministers signed an agreement on the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus, which stipulates terms for keeping them in a special storage facility.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu said that in response to NATO's "aggressive" activities, they are deploying military contingents, building military infrastructure, enhancing training, and increasing reconnaissance activities on the borders of Russia and Belarus.