MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced plans on Saturday to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus, a warning to the West because it steps up army assist for Ukraine.

Putin mentioned the transfer was triggered by Britain’s choice this previous week to supply Ukraine with armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium.

Tactical nuclear weapons are supposed to be used on the battlefield and have a brief vary and a low yield in contrast with far more highly effective nuclear warheads fitted to long-range missiles. Russia plans to take care of management over these it sends to Belarus, and building of storage services for them will likely be accomplished by July 1, Putin mentioned.

He didn’t say what number of nuclear weapons Russia would hold in Belarus. The U.S. authorities believes Russia has about 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons, which embody bombs that may be carried by tactical plane, warheads for short-range missiles and artillery rounds.

Putin argued that by deploying its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Russia was following the lead of america, noting that the U.S. has nuclear weapons based mostly in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey.

“We’re doing what they’ve been doing for many years, stationing them in sure allied nations, making ready the launch platforms and coaching their crews,” Putin mentioned, talking in an interview on state tv that aired Saturday night time. “We’re going to do the identical factor.”

Russia has saved its tactical nuclear weapons at devoted depots on its territory, and transferring a part of the arsenal to a storage facility in Belarus would up the ante within the Ukrainian battle by inserting them nearer to the Russian plane and missiles already stationed there.

Some hawkish commentators in Russia lengthy have urged the Kremlin to place the tactical nuclear weapons near the weapons to ship a sign to the West concerning the readiness to make use of them.

The U.S. mentioned it might “monitor the implications” of Putin’s announcement.

“We now have not seen any cause to regulate our personal strategic nuclear posture nor any indications Russia is making ready to make use of a nuclear weapon,” Nationwide Safety Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson mentioned. “We stay dedicated to the collective protection of the NATO alliance.”

Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine had Soviet nuclear weapons stationed on their territory however handed them over to Russia after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

Putin mentioned Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has lengthy requested to have nuclear weapons in his nation once more as a counter to NATO. Belarus shares borders with three NATO members — Latvia, Lithuania and Poland — and Russia used its territory as a staging floor to ship troops into neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

Putin famous that Russia helped modernize Belarusian army plane final 12 months to make them able to carrying nuclear warheads. He mentioned 10 such planes have been able to go. He mentioned nuclear weapons additionally may very well be launched by the Iskander short-range missiles that Russia offered to Belarus final 12 months.

Belarusian opposition chief Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who resides in exile, mentioned the settlement to switch the tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus “underlines the menace to regional safety” from Lukashenko’s regime.

“Europe received’t be protected till Belarus dictator is eliminated & introduced earlier than tribunal to face justice for crimes towards our nation & Ukraine,” Tsikhanouskaya wrote in English on Twitter.

Lukashenko’s assist of the battle has drawn worldwide criticism and sanctions. However he has publicly stood by Russia, which has pumped billions of {dollars} into shoring up his Soviet-style, state-controlled financial system with low cost vitality and loans.

Putin had initially objected to the depleted uranium rounds that Britain promised to ship to Ukraine by making the false declare that they’ve nuclear parts.

He subsequently toned down his language, however insisted Saturday that the ammunition posed a further hazard to each troops and civilians in Ukraine by leaving a radioactive hint and contaminating agricultural land.

“These weapons are dangerous not only for combatants, but in addition for the folks residing in these territories and for the surroundings,” he mentioned.

Putin added that Russia has huge stockpiles of comparable ammunition however thus far has shunned utilizing it.

Depleted uranium is a byproduct of the uranium enrichment course of wanted to create nuclear weapons. The rounds cannot generate a nuclear response however they do emit low ranges of radiation. The U.N. nuclear watchdog has warned of the attainable risks of publicity.

Such rounds have been developed by the U.S. through the Chilly Battle to destroy Soviet tanks, together with the identical T-72 tanks that Ukraine now faces in its push to interrupt via a stalemate within the east.