Belarusian President threatens to use nuclear weapons in response to ‘aggression’ by the NATO allies at the border

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has issued a threat of using nuclear weapons in response to perceived “aggression” by NATO allies near the border.

Lukashenko’s statements were specifically aimed at Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia, countries that have expressed concerns about Belarus providing shelter to the Wagner paramilitary group.

During an interview with state-run BelTA on Thursday (August 17), Lukashenko stated, “If aggression against our country is launched from the side of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, we will immediately respond with everything we have,” emphasizing that any strike would be considered unacceptable.

Reports from June indicated that Russian President Vladimir Putin supplied Belarus, an ally, with nuclear warheads for “deterrence.”

The exact amount of nuclear weaponry Russia delivered to Minsk remains unclear, but officials from the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) stated that they have “no reason to doubt” Putin’s assertion, as reported by CNN.

Lukashenko emphasized that Belarus would not initiate an attack but would use its entire arsenal to deter aggression, underscoring their vulnerability as a small nation that could potentially be conquered in a month.

“We didn’t bring nuclear weapons here in order to scare someone,” he clarified. “Yes, nuclear weapons represent a strong deterring factor. But these are tactical nuclear weapons, not strategic ones. This is why we will use them immediately once aggression is launched against us.”

Belarus openly supported Russia during its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While not actively participating in the conflict, joint military exercises between Russia and Belarus in recent times have raised concerns.

The security environment in Eastern Europe has become tense, particularly for Belarus’s northern neighbors Poland and Lithuania, due to the presence of Wagner troops in Minsk following a reported attempted coup against Putin.

There have been reports of Wagner forces moving towards a narrow border strip between Poland and Lithuania, potentially increasing pressure on NATO and EU members.

In response, Poland announced its intention to deploy around 10,000 troops to its border with Belarus and detained two Russians accused of espionage and propagating propaganda for the Russian mercenary group.

Lithuania announced the temporary suspension of operations at two out of its six border checkpoints with Belarus due to concerns over Wagner forces, citing “emerging threats to national security and possible provocations at the border.” Belarus criticized Lithuania’s actions as “unconstructive and unfriendly,” dismissing their Wagner-related concerns as “far-fetched.”