Putin's confidante Lukashenko contradicts Russia - and threatens with "super nuclear weapons"

Created: 02/25/2022, 15:42

By: Patrick Mayer

Ruler in Belarus: Alexander Lukashenko.

© IMAGO / ITAR-TASS

While Alexander Lukashenko threatens NATO with Russian weapons, Moscow announces the withdrawal of its troops.

The danger for Ukraine has not been averted.

Munich/Moscow/Minsk – The comments and messages from Russia and its ally Belarus are becoming more confusing in the Ukraine crisis*.

While Moscow is announcing the withdrawal of its own troops from the border with Ukraine, the ruler from Minsk is threatening the Western defense alliance NATO with precisely these military units.

Ukraine crisis: Belarus threatens NATO, Moscow appeases

This Thursday (February 17), Russia reaffirmed that it would withdraw its troops from neighboring Belarus after the end of military maneuvers.

"After the end of the exercise, the formations and military units of the Russian Federation will, as always, return to their permanent bases," Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in Moscow, according to the

.

The exercises in southern Belarus on the border with Ukraine* are scheduled to end this Sunday (February 20).

The Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko * had previously caused confusion.

He told the

state agency with a view to a planned meeting with Russia's head of state Vladimir Putin * this Friday in Moscow: "Only we decide when the Russian troops will be withdrawn - tomorrow or in a month.

The armed forces will remain in Belarus for as long as we deem necessary.” The large-scale maneuvers began a week ago.

Ukraine crisis: Belarus ruler Alexander Lukashenko speaks of nuclear weapons

There is no need for Russian military bases because in an emergency the Russian army will come to the neighboring country to provide support, Lukashenko said.

, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made

it clear that there was “no talk of a permanent military presence in Belarus at the moment”.

At the same time, Lukashenko said he was prepared to station nuclear weapons in the event of a Western threat.

, Lukashenko said his country would then not only adopt nuclear weapons "but also super-nuclear weapons" in order to "defend our territory"

.

In the video: Ukraine conflict - Belarus ready to station nuclear weapons

In the West it is feared that Russia is preparing an invasion of Ukraine* as part of the exercise in Belarus.

The military leaders in Belarus and Russia, on the other hand, repeatedly emphasize that the troop deployment is purely for training purposes, does not pose a threat to anyone and is in accordance with international law.

Russia's Defense Ministry has already announced a partial withdrawal of soldiers from other maneuvers and has published photos and videos.

The West doubts these reports.