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☆ Russian mercenary boss Prigozhin to move to Belarus under Wagner deal, Kremlin says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin leaves the headquarters of the Southern Military District amid the group's pullout from the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, June 24, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander ErmochenkoMOSCOW, June 24 (Reuters) - Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin will move to Belarus under a deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to end an armed mutiny that Prigozhin had led against Russia's military leadership, the Kremlin said on Saturday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Lukashenko had offered to mediate, with Russian President Vladimir Putin's agreement, because he had known Prigozhin personally for around 20 years. Although Putin had earlier vowed to punish those who participated in the mutiny, Peskov said the agreement had had the "higher goal" of avoiding confrontation and bloodshed. Prigozhin had earlier demanded that Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov be handed over to him.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Alexander Ermochenko MOSCOW, Alexander Lukashenko, Prigozhin, Dmitry Peskov, Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin's, Peskov, Putin, Sergei Shoigu, Staff Valery Gerasimov, Kevin Liffey, Andrew Osborn Organizations: Southern Military, REUTERS, Belarusian, Russia's, Kremlin, Fighters, Defence Ministry, Staff, Russian Defence Ministry, Russian Federation, Thomson Locations: Rostov, Don, Russia, Belarus

☆ Wagner boss says he will turn back to avoid bloodshed after coming within hours of Moscow
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Russian forces are led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a billionaire and former close ally of Putin. Prigozhin's defiant march toward Moscow was the culmination of a months-long feud with top Russian military leaders. Prigozhin had for years been a close ally of the Russian president, dubbed "Putin's chef" after growing wealthy from state catering contracts. With much of the Russian military bogged down in Ukraine, however, few security forces have been left to challenge Wagner directly. According to videos and photos shared on social media, Wagner forces were also in possession of advanced air defense equipment, limiting the Kremlin's ability to attack them from the sky.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Putin, —, Prigozhin, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, Sergey Sobyanin, Sergei Shoigu Organizations: Service, Russian, Russian Defense, Rostov Locations: Moscow, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Rostov

☆ Wagner leader Prigozhin will move to Belarus following the mercenary group's uprising against Putin, Kremlin spokesman says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Michelle Mark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin will move to Belarus and won't be prosecuted, a Kremlin spokesman said. Prigozhin and his mercenary group waged an uprising and marched across Russia on Saturday. In exchange for Prigozhin's exile to Belarus, the mercenary leader won't be prosecuted, the Associated Press reported, citing a Kremlin spokesperson. "The war wasn't needed to return Russian citizens to our bosom, nor to demilitarize or denazify Ukraine," Prigozhin said. On Saturday the mercenary group was reportedly also in Lipesk province, just 225 miles south of Moscow.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, —, Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin's, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Putin, didn't Organizations: Kremlin, Service, Wagner Group, Associated Press, Wagner, Prigozhin, The New York Times, Times Locations: Belarus, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, Rostov, Lipesk province

☆ Putin Calls Allies as Wagner Advances Toward Moscow
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin made calls to a number of foreign leaders still friendly with the Kremlin on Saturday “in relation to the attempted armed mutiny” in the country, according to the Kremlin. Putin spoke with his closest ally throughout the war in Ukraine, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, as well as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Kremlin said.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, Recep Tayyip Erdogan Organizations: Kremlin Locations: Ukraine

☆ Mutinous Russian mercenary boss turn his fighters back from Moscow to avoid bloodshed
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, June 24 (Reuters) - Mutinous Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday he had ordered his fighters advancing on Moscow in convoy to turn around and return to their bases to avoid bloodshed. Prigozhin had earlier said that he wanted to oust the army's top brass and "restore justice". In an audio message released by his press service, Prigozhin said:"They wanted to disband the Wagner military company. In this time we did not spill a single drop of our fighters' blood. Understanding responsibility [for the chance] that Russian blood will be spilled on one side, we are turning our columns around and going back to field camps as planned."

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, Wagner, Andrew Osborn, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Wagner, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Russian, Moscow

1 11 a.m. Friday Prigozhin questions war rationaleIn a 30-minute video released at 11 a.m. on Friday, Mr. Prigozhin challenged the wisdom of the Russia-Ukraine war. The Federal Security Service, Russia’s main intelligence agency, opened an investigation against Mr. Prigozhin for armed rebellion. 3 7:30 a.m. Saturday Wagner forces take Rostov-on-DonConcord Press ServiceDespite the defense measures, Wagner forces took Rostov-on-Don with little resistance. Around 7:30 a.m., Mr. Prigozhin posted a video from the regional military headquarters, claiming to have control of key city installations. Mr. Prigozhin was among those leaving, driving out of the city in a heavily guarded black S.U.V.

Persons: Yevgeny V, Wagner, Prigozhin, Sergei K, ”, Prigozhin’s, Saturday Wagner, Don Sea, Putin, Alexsandr G, Lukashenko, ’, Don Wagner Organizations: Wagner, Federal Security Service, Don Concord Press, Don, Saturday, Reuters, Moscow, Moscow russia belarus Elets, Volgograd UKRAINE Bakhmut Rostov, Moscow russia Elets, New York Times, Ukraine Locations: Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, Rostov, Russia’s Voronezh, Moscow russia belarus, Moscow russia belarus Elets Voronezh, Volgograd UKRAINE, Don, Azov, Moscow russia, Moscow russia Elets Voronezh, Russian, Voronezh, Elets, Lipetsk, Belarus, ”

☆ Putin Turned to Belarus Leader Lukashenko to Broker Truce Deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The deal brokered by Alexander Lukashenko to halt an armed rebellion in Russia wasn’t the first time the Belarusian leader has cast himself as a peace maker on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Saturday, Lukashenko helped defuse a crisis as forces from the Wagner paramilitary group moved toward Moscow. “The two presidents really agreed that President Lukashenko would mediate efforts to resolve the situation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a press call late Saturday evening, noting that Putin “thanked his Belarusian counterpart for the work done.”Relations between the two leaders stretch back years. In 2014 and 2015, Lukashenko allowed the Belarusian capital, Minsk, to host a series of international talks which sought to end the war in Ukraine’s Donbas region that was being fought between Russian-backed separatists and the Ukrainian army. The agreements, which would become known as the Minsk accords, subsequently went nowhere, because Kyiv believed that they could give Moscow too much say in Ukraine’s future.

Persons: Alexander Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, Lukashenko, Wagner, Dmitry Peskov, Putin “ Organizations: Russia wasn’t Locations: Russia, Moscow, Minsk, Ukraine’s Donbas, Russian, Ukrainian

☆ Russian ally Belarus starts 'mobilisation exercises'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 21 (Reuters) - Belarus, an ally of Russia in the war with Ukraine, said on Wednesday that its armed forces were beginning 10 days of annual "mobilisation exercises". The Belarus defence ministry said the exercises were aimed at assessing the degree of preparation of state institutions to mobilise reservists. Belarus allowed Russia to use it as one of the launchpads for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year. Since then, it has held frequent exercises with Russia and let Russian forces use its bases for training. This month it took delivery of Russian tactical nuclear missiles that President Vladimir Putin said were intended as a warning to the West.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: West, Russian, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Belarusian

June 19 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden said on Monday the threat of Russian President Vladimir Putin using tactical nuclear weapons is "real", days after denouncing Russia's deployment of such weapons in Belarus. On Saturday, Biden called Putin's announcement that Russia had deployed its first tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus "absolutely irresponsible". "They looked at me like when I said I worry about Putin using tactical nuclear weapons. In May, Russia dismissed Biden's criticism of its plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, saying the U.S. had for decades deployed such nuclear weapons in Europe. The Russian deployment is being watched closely by the United States and its allies as well as by China, which has repeatedly cautioned against the use of nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine.

Persons: Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin, Biden, Alexander Lukashenko, Biden's, Trevor Hunnicutt, Nandita Bose, Robert Birsel Organizations: Soviet Union, The United, Thomson Locations: Belarus, Russia, Colorado, California, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Soviet, The United States, U.S, Europe, United States, China, Ukraine, Atherton , California, Washington

☆ Putin says Russia positions nuclear bombs in Belarus as warning to West
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Andrew Osborn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Speaking at Russia's flagship economic forum in St Petersburg, Putin said Russian tactical nuclear warheads had already been delivered to close ally Belarus, but stressed he saw no need for Russia to resort to nuclear weapons for now. "As you know we were negotiating with our ally, (Belarusian President (Alexander) Lukashenko, that we would move a part of these tactical nuclear weapons to the territory of Belarus - this has happened," said Putin. Lukashenko, a staunch ally of Putin, said late on Tuesday his country had started taking delivery of Russian tactical nuclear weapons that included some three times more powerful than the atomic bombs the U.S. dropped on Japan in 1945. The Russian leader announced in March he had agreed to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, pointing to the U.S deployment of such weapons in a host of European countries over many decades. "Just talking about this (the potential use of nuclear weapons) lowers the nuclear threshold.

Persons: Putin, Moscow, Vladimir Putin, Alexander, Lukashenko, ", PUTIN, Andrew Osborn, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: WEST, United, NATO, Russian, Independent, Russia's Defence, Kyiv, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Belarus, Russia, St Petersburg, Russian, Soviet Union, Ukraine, Japan, United States, Washington, China, Moscow, Europe, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, Bakhmut, U.S

☆ In a warning to the West, Putin says Russian tactical nukes are being put in Belarus to stop a 'strategic defeat'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Putin made a fresh set of nuclear threats this week after confirming Russian warheads were moved to Belarus. The Russian president said the escalatory step was meant to serve as a warning to the West. US and Western officials quickly brushed off Putin's most recent batch of nuclear threats. The Russian president compared the move to the deployment of US nuclear weapons in various European countries over the years. Putin said this week that the transfer of the weapons to Belarus would be done by the end of summer.

Persons: Putin, —, Vladimir Putin, Antony Blinken, Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, –, Aleksandr Lukashenko Organizations: ., Service, NATO, St ., Economic, BBC News, Reuters Locations: Belarus, Ukraine, St . Petersburg, Russia, Moscow, Soviet Union, St, Japan

The deployment is Moscow's first move of such warheads - shorter-range less powerful nuclear weapons that could potentially be used on the battlefield - outside Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia, which will retain control of the tactical nuclear weapons, would start deploying them in Belarus after special storage facilities to house them were made ready. The Russian leader announced in March he had agreed to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, pointing to the U.S deployment of such weapons in a host of European countries over many decades. Earlier on Tuesday, he had said separately that the Russian tactical nuclear weapons would be physically deployed on the territory of Belarus "in several days" and that he had the facilities to host longer-range missiles too if ever needed. No one has so far fought against a nuclear country, a country that has nuclear weapons."

Persons: Lukashenko, Alexander Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, Putin, didn't, Lidia Kelly, Andrew Osborn, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: United, Press Service, REUTERS, WE, NATO, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Russia, Soviet Union, Belarusian, Russian, Belarus, United States, China, Ukraine, Minsk Region, Republic of Belarus, Handout, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Soviet, Melbourne, London

Summary Lukashenko says he already has Russian tactical nuclear weaponsIndicates delivery process is ongoingSays their use can be swiftly agreed with MoscowJune 14 (Reuters) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said his country has started taking delivery of Russian tactical nuclear weapons, some of which he said were three times more powerful than the atomic bombs the US dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia, which will retain control of the tactical nuclear weapons, would start deploying them in Belarus after special storage facilities to house them were made ready. The Russian leader announced in March he had agreed to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, pointing to the U.S deployment of such weapons in a host of European countries over many decades. Earlier on Tuesday, he had said separately that the Russian tactical nuclear weapons would be physically deployed on the territory of Belarus "in several days" and that he had the facilities to host longer-range missiles too if ever needed. No one has so far fought against a nuclear country, a country that has nuclear weapons."

Persons: Lukashenko, Alexander Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, Putin, didn't, Lidia Kelly, Andrew Osborn, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: United, NATO, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Russia, Soviet Union, Belarusian, Russian, Belarus, United States, China, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Soviet, Melbourne, London

☆ Belarus to get Russian tactical nuclear weapons 'in days' - Lukashenko
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Andrew Osborn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Summary Belarus to host Russian nuclear arms within days - leaderRussia will retain control of the warheadsDeployment is earlier than Moscow has indicatedBelarus has sites to host longer-range missiles - leaderLONDON, June 13 (Reuters) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Tuesday that Russian tactical nuclear weapons would be physically deployed on the territory of Belarus "in several days" and that he had the facilities to host longer-range missiles too if ever needed. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia, which will retain control of the tactical nuclear weapons, would start deploying them in close ally Belarus after special storage facilities to house them were made ready on July 7-8. Lukashenko, a staunch Putin ally, was cited by Belta as saying that Belarus was now ready to host the warheads. Putin announced in March he had agreed to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, pointing to the U.S deployment of such weapons in a host of European countries over many decades. That's why this (tactical nuclear weapons) are enough for me for now."

Persons: Alexander Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, Lukashenko, Putin, Belta, Volodymr Zelenskiy, Andrew Osborn, Felix Light, Guy Faulconbridge, Nick Macfie Organizations: LONDON, Soviet Union, United, America, NATO, Thomson Locations: Belarus, Russian, Russia, Moscow, Soviet, United States, China, Ukraine, Minsk, U.S

He has also said that there could be "nuclear weapons for everyone" who joined the Russia-Belarus union. Putin said Russia would remain in control of the weapons just as the United States controls its own tactical nuclear weapons deployed in Europe. Putin has repeatedly raised concerns about the 200 U.S. B61 tactical nuclear warheads deployed at bases in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Turkey. Russia's nuclear weapons are controlled and transported by the 12th Main Directorate of the defence ministry (12th GUMO). By putting nuclear weapons back in Belarus, Putin is showing that the architecture of post-Cold War nuclear arms control is crumbling.

Persons: Stringer, Vladimir Putin, Moscow's, Putin, Pavel Zarubin, Su, Lukashenko, Jens Stoltenberg, Guy Faulconbridge, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Kremlin, Street, Ukraine, Sukhoi, of American, WHO, United, NATO, B61, U.S, 12th, Directorate, State Department, Thomson Locations: Kakhovka, Nikopol, Ukraine, Dnipropetrovsk region, MOSCOW, Belarus, Russia, Soviet Union, Britain, United States, Belarusian, Lida, Lithuanian, Europe, U.S, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Kazakhstan, States

[1/3] Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko speak during a meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei residence in Sochi, Russia June 9, 2023. Putin announced in March he had agreed to deploy such weapons in Belarus, pointing to U.S deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in a host of European countries over many decades. It is still unclear where the Russian nuclear warheads - which will remain under Russian control - will be kept in Belarus. RANGEPutin, who is the ultimate decision maker on any nuclear launch, said Iskander mobile short-range ballistic missiles, which can deliver nuclear warheads, had already been handed over to Belarus. Putin has repeatedly raised the issue of U.S. B61 tactical nuclear warheads deployed at bases in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Turkey.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, Lukashenko, Putin, Moscow's, Vladimir Vladimirovich, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Su, Guy Faulconbridge, Kevin Liffey, Andrew Osborn, Frances Kerry Organizations: Belarusian, Sputnik, NATO, United, Sukhoi, B61, Cuban Missile Crisis, Thomson Locations: Sochi, Russia, Kremlin, Belarus, Europe, Putin MOSCOW, Soviet Union, Russian, Black, United States, Ukraine, Moscow, China, Washington, Minsk, Berlin, Stockholm, Soviet, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Nevada

☆ Sabalenka sets up Muchova clash at French Open, takes stand against war
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Having skipped two press conferences at Roland Garros after being grilled by the media about her personal stance on the war, Sabalenka finally addressed reporters again. "I don't want my country to be in any conflict, I don't support the war," second seed Sabalenka said. "I don't support war, meaning I don't support (Belarus President) Alexander Lukashenko right now." "I really felt bad not coming here. I felt really disrespected and felt really bad.

Persons: Sabalenka, Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, Czech Karolina Muchova, Roland Garros, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Svitolina, Alexander Lukashenko, I'm, Novak Djokovic, Karen Khachanov, Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Julien Pretot, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Roland, Thomson Locations: Belarusian, Czech, Russia, Belarus, Paris

☆ Sabalenka Skips French Open News Conference Citing Her Mental Health
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Matthew Futterman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Aryna Sabalenka’s day began with a routine demolition of Kamilla Rakhimova of Russia that propelled the world’s second-ranked player, who is from Belarus, into the second week of the French Open as expected. But then Sabalenka put herself, the tournament and tennis once more at the center of the debate over sports and the war in Ukraine by refusing to attend the mandatory post-match news conference. She said she had felt unsafe during a previous news conference this week when a journalist from Ukraine asked Sabalenka about her support of President Alexandr G. Lukashenko of Belarus, which has supported Russia’s war against Ukraine. “On Wednesday I did not feel safe in press conference,” Sabalenka was quoted as saying at the beginning of a transcript of her statements following her 6-2, 6-2 win over Rakhimova. “I should be able to feel safe when I do interviews with the journalists after my matches.

Persons: Aryna, Sabalenka, Alexandr G, Lukashenko, ” Sabalenka, “, ” Cédric Laurent Organizations: Ukraine, “ Locations: Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, French

☆ Belarus said it had no choice but to host Russia's nuclear weapons after US and its allies escalated support for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Belarus said it had no choice but to host Russia's tactical nuclear weapons. "The deployment of tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus is therefore one of the steps of strategic deterrence" against the West, Volfovich said, according to Reuters. Russia and Belarus signed the deal last week formalizing the deployment of the tactical nuclear weapons after Russian President Vladimir Putin originally announced the plan earlier this year. While Moscow will retain control of the tactical nuclear weapons, the Post reported, it's unclear when exactly they'll arrive to the recently built storage facilities in Belarus. It's currently unclear how many tactical nuclear weapons will be deployed, the Post added.

☆ Belarus's Lukashenko says there can be 'nuclear weapons for everyone'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 29 (Reuters) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that if any other country wanted to join a Russia-Belarus union there could be "nuclear weapons for everyone." Russia moved ahead last week with a plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, in the Kremlin's first deployment of such warheads outside Russia since the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union, spurring concerns in the West. "If someone is worried ... (then) it is very simple: join in the Union State of Belarus and Russia. That's all: there will be nuclear weapons for everyone." Russia and Belarus are formally part of a Union State, a borderless union and alliance between the two former Soviet republics.

☆ Putin ally blusters about 'nuclear weapons for everyone' who joins Russia and Belarus
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Alexander Lukashenko said there will be "nuclear weapons for everyone" who joins Russia and Belarus. The comment came after Belarus agreed to host Russia's tactical nuclear weapons. Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, made the comment Sunday after Belarus agreed to host Russia's tactical nuclear weapons. But the mounting threats have led some adversaries to shrug him off, doubting he would actually resort to using nuclear weapons, Insider's John Haltiwanger previously reported. Belarus agreed to host Moscow's nuclear weapons last week.

☆ Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko offers nuclear weapons to nations willing 'to join the Union State of Russia and Belarus'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Mariya Knight Uliana Pavlova Helen Regan | Mariya Knight | Uliana Pavlova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has claimed that nations who are willing “to join the Union State of Russia and Belarus” will be given nuclear weapons, days after confirming the transfer of some tactical nuclear weapons from Moscow to Minsk had begun. “Join the Union State of Belarus and Russia. It was not clear how wide Lukashenko’s invitation to join the Union State extended, and he offered no other specifics. Tactical nuclear weapons are smaller than strategic nuclear weapons – which can decimate entire cities – and are designed for use in a limited battlefield. Strong condemnationsThe United States and the European Union, as well as opposition leaders in Belarus, have denounced the move to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

☆ Belarus official: West left us no choice but to deploy nuclear arms
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 28 (Reuters) - Western countries left Belarus no choice but to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons and had better take heed not to "cross red lines" on key strategic issues, a senior Belarusian official was quoted as saying on Sunday. Russia moved ahead last week with a decision to deploy tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory aimed at achieving specific gains on the battlefield. "The deployment of tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus is therefore one of the steps of strategic deterrence. He said any resort to using "even tactical nuclear weapons will lead to irreversible consequences." The United States has denounced the prospective deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus but says its stance on the use of such weapons has not been altered.

Biden said on Friday he had an "extremely negative" reaction to reports that Russia has moved ahead with a plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. The U.S. State Department denounced the Russian nuclear deployment plan. Tactical nuclear weapons are used for tactical gains on the battlefield, and are usually smaller in yield than the strategic nuclear weapons designed to destroy U.S., European or Russian cities. "The United States has been for decades maintaining a large arsenal of its nuclear weapons in Europe. Together with its NATO allies it participates in nuclear sharing arrangements and trains for scenarios of nuclear weapons use against our country."

☆ Belarus Pardons Opposition Activist Who Was Hauled Off a Ryanair Flight, State Media Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Matthew Mpoke Bigg | Ivan Nechepurenko | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Belarus has pardoned an opposition activist who was arrested in 2021 after the Belarusian government forced the landing of a commercial flight he had been on that was transiting its airspace, state media reported on Monday. The activist, Roman Protasevich, 28, was the editor of Nexta, a channel on the Telegram messaging app that was instrumental in organizing mass protests against President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko after his disputed election victory in 2020. The details of Mr. Protasevich’s arrest drew international attention. A Belarusian court in May sentenced Mr. Protasevich to eight years in prison for crimes including acts of terrorism and insulting the president. But on Monday, Belta, the Belarusian state news agency, reported that Mr. Protasevich had told journalists he had been pardoned, calling it “great news.”Such leniency for someone who had been an active member of the opposition is unusual in Belarus, where, during nearly three decades in power, Mr. Lukashenko has a longstanding pattern of silencing dissent and violently suppressing opponents.

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