Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko today warned a nuclear third world war ‘looms on the horizon’ due to NATO’s support for Kyiv as he insisted Russia will use nukes if they fear defeat in Ukraine.
The dictator, a staunch ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed – without providing any evidence – that the West is planning to invade Belarus to ‘destroy it’.
Lukashenko said the West’s decision to send tanks, missiles and artillery to Ukraine has meant the world is closer than ever to a nuclear apocalypse.
‘As a result of the efforts of the United States and its satellites, a full-scale war has been unleashed in Ukraine,’ a livid Lukashenko said in a televised address. ‘A third world war with nuclear fires looms on the horizon.’
Lukashenko, who allowed Putin to use his country as a launching pad for his full-scale invasion of Ukraine a year ago, insisted that Russia’s plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus is not blackmail but a chance to ‘safeguard’ his nation against Western threats.
In a terrifying speech, Lukashenko warned that if Putin feared his forces were about to be defeated by Ukraine, he would be forced to unleash its nuclear weapons.
‘It is impossible to defeat a nuclear power. If the Russian leadership understands that the situation threatens to cause Russia’s disintegration, it will use the most terrible weapon. This cannot be allowed,’ Lukashenko said.
The dictator, a loyal ally to Vladimir Putin, claimed – without providing any evidence – that the West is planning to invade Belarus to ‘destroy it’.
A rocket launches from missile system as part of a ground-based intercontinental ballistic missile test launched from the Plesetsk facility in northwestern Russia
In a scheduled address to the nation, Lukashenko said the West was building up its military forces in Poland, on Belarus’ borders, and planning to invade and destroy it.
‘Take my word for it, I have never deceived you,’ Lukashenko said. ‘They are preparing to invade Belarus, to destroy our country,’ he added, without providing evidence.
The despot warned Kyiv against launching a counter-offensive against the invading Russian troops, insisting it would make negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv impossible.
Lukashenko’s sabre-rattling came just days after he announced he was forced to host Russian nuclear weapons due to ‘unprecedented’ Western pressure.
Putin said on Saturday that Russia would station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, its first deployment of nuclear armaments outside its borders since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
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Minsk said the missiles would offer protection after what it called a campaign of pressure from the United States and its allies aimed at overthrowing Lukashenko, who has been in power for 28 years.
Belarus said it would not have control over the weapons and insisted their deployment ‘in no way contradicts’ the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
Last week, Lukashenko warned the UK it will ‘see a fearful response’ that will be a ‘lesson for the whole planet’ if Britain sends depleted uranium tank munitions to Ukraine.
The dictator said last week that Russia would retaliate against Britain’s decision to supply Ukrainian forces with ammunition containing depleted uranium by sending Belarus weapons containing ‘real uranium’ – used in nuclear weapons – in a sombre threat.
‘We need to step back from this madness. As soon as this ammunition explodes on Russian troops’ positions, you will see a fearful response, it will be a lesson for the whole planet,’ Lukashenko said last week.
‘Russia does not only have depleted uranium,’ Lukashenko said in a thinly veiled threat about an impending nuclear war. ‘We have to lower this trend towards escalation in the conflict and move towards a peaceful settlement.’
Vladimir Putin had raged against Britain’s decision to provide Kyiv’s troops with Challenger 2 battle tanks and depleted uranium ammunition, arguing it marked a step towards using weapons with a ‘nuclear component’.
The heavy metal is used in weapons because it can penetrate tanks and armour more easily due to its density, amongst other properties.
Putin warned Moscow would be forced to respond accordingly as such weapons had ‘a nuclear component’.
Lukashenko has remained a key ally to Putin throughout the war. Russian forces used Belarus as a launch pad for their attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in February 2022, and there has been Russian and Belarusian military activity in the country since then.
Lukashenko owes Putin loyalty after the Russian despot backed the then-beleaguered Belarusian leader when protests nearly ousted him from power under his repressive regime without fair and free elections.
Lukashenko, who has been accused of human rights violations for his crackdown on the Press, has continued to take part in joint military drills with Russia.
In October last year, he announced Russian units would combine with his own and deploy to the Ukraine border, accusing Kyiv of planning to attack with help from allies Poland and Lithuania.
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