The self-proclaimed president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has once again threatened to inflict “crippling damage” upon his enemies.
Source: BelTA, a Belarusian state-owned news outlet, citing Lukashenko at a meeting on 20 February
Quote: “We have everything necessary to defend ourselves reliably, and as the military says, inflict crippling damage on the adversary. …
Details: Lukashenko reminded that tactical nuclear weapons are deployed on the country’s territory: “Today, [they] are the most important element of deterrence.”
Background:
- Lukashenko has repeatedly threatened the use of Russian nuclear weapons, which Russia has deployed on the territory of Belarus.
- For example, in October 2023, Lukashenko hinted at the possibility of using them to cause “crippling damage” to the enemy: “We are not talking about the more powerful weapons that we now have in order to demonstrate our might and inflict crippling damage on the adversary [if Belarus is attacked]. We will not buy thousands of tanks, but we can always inflict crippling damage. In other words, before attacking Belarus the adversary will have to think about a potential response that will be insurmountable for them.”
Tetiana Lozovenko
Українська правда
