Ryabkov: the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus does not violate the NPT

The deployment of nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus does not violate the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), since Minsk does not receive control over it, declared in an interview with TASS, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

“The steps we have taken within the framework of the single defense space of the Union State are of a forced nature. At the same time, they do not go beyond the scope of our international obligations, including those under the NPT. It must be emphasized once again: control over Russian nuclear weapons is not transferred,” the diplomat said.

According to him, the statements of Western officials on this issue “cannot but cause bewilderment”, because within the framework of NATO for many years there has been such a practice that continues to develop even now – “the practice of joint nuclear missions based on American nuclear weapons.”

On March 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that, at the request of Minsk, Russian tactical nuclear weapons (TNW) would be deployed in Belarus. He drew the analogy that the United States is also transferring weapons to its allies.

Defense Ministers of Russia and Belarus Sergei Shoigu and Viktor Khrenin signed documents in May that determine the procedure for keeping Russian tactical nuclear weapons in a special storage facility on the territory of Belarus. Shoigu explained the decision to send nuclear weapons to the neighboring republic by the activity of NATO nuclear missions, in particular in the European Union. On June 27, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko announced that most of the tactical nuclear weapons had already been delivered to the territory of the republic.