Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced on Thursday that Russia had already begun transferring nuclear weapons to his country, a move that the Belarusian opposition says poses a threat “for Ukraine and for all of Europe.”
Lukashenko, who made this announcement on the sidelines of a regional summit in Moscow, indicated that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, informed him that he had already signed the decree for the shipment of the nuclear warheads, although he did not specify whether the projectiles had already reached Belarusian territory.
“The transfer of nuclear weapons has started,” Lukashenko said in response to a journalist, in a video on the unofficial channel of the Belarusian presidency on Telegram.
Moscow announced in March that it would deploy “tactical” nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus, fueling fears of an escalation in the conflict in Ukraine and drawing criticism from the international community, especially from Western powers.
“This not only endangers the lives of Belarusians, but also creates a threat to Ukraine and the whole of Europe,” Belarusian opposition leader in exile Svetlana Tijanóvskaya said on Twitter on Thursday.
Relay in Bakhmut
The announcement came the same day that the Russian Wagner paramilitary group began handing over to the Russian army its positions in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, which it claims to have conquered after months of fierce fighting.
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Maliar said Wagner’s troops ceded positions to Russian regular troops “on the outskirts of Bakhmut” but remain in the city.
Maliar further claimed that Ukrainian soldiers still control a southwestern suburb of Bakhmut.
Wagner’s boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin, admitted on Wednesday that some 10,000 of the 50,000 inmates conscripted into Russian jails died in Ukraine, where they were on the front lines of the Battle of Bakhmut.
This relief occurs at a time when the Russian army is in difficulties on the flanks of Bakhmut. According to kyiv, Russian troops lost 20 km2 north and south of the devastated eastern Ukrainian city.
Fighters from Ukraine also penetrated Russia’s Belgorod region on Monday and Tuesday, once again highlighting the plight of Russian forces.
“Terrorizing Ukraine”
Ukraine hopes to continue advancing on the flanks of Bakhmut, to achieve a “tactical encirclement” of the city that until yesterday was surrounded by Wagner’s forces.
“The enemy tries to stop our advance on the flanks with artillery fire. He is reinforcing the flanks with additional units,” Maliar claimed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of continuing to “terrorize” his country and said his military shot down 36 Russian drones in strikes overnight from Wednesday to Thursday.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced on Thursday that Russia had already begun transferring nuclear weapons to his country, a move that the Belarusian opposition says poses a threat “for Ukraine and for all of Europe.”
Lukashenko, who made this announcement on the sidelines of a regional summit in Moscow, indicated that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, informed him that he had already signed the decree for the shipment of the nuclear warheads, although he did not specify whether the projectiles had already reached Belarusian territory.
“The transfer of nuclear weapons has started,” Lukashenko said in response to a journalist, in a video on the unofficial channel of the Belarusian presidency on Telegram.
Moscow announced in March that it would deploy “tactical” nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus, fueling fears of an escalation in the conflict in Ukraine and drawing criticism from the international community, especially from Western powers.
“This not only endangers the lives of Belarusians, but also creates a threat to Ukraine and the whole of Europe,” Belarusian opposition leader in exile Svetlana Tijanóvskaya said on Twitter on Thursday.
Relay in Bakhmut
The announcement came the same day that the Russian Wagner paramilitary group began handing over to the Russian army its positions in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, which it claims to have conquered after months of fierce fighting.
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Maliar said Wagner’s troops ceded positions to Russian regular troops “on the outskirts of Bakhmut” but remain in the city.
Maliar further claimed that Ukrainian soldiers still control a southwestern suburb of Bakhmut.
Wagner’s boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin, admitted on Wednesday that some 10,000 of the 50,000 inmates conscripted into Russian jails died in Ukraine, where they were on the front lines of the Battle of Bakhmut.
This relief occurs at a time when the Russian army is in difficulties on the flanks of Bakhmut. According to kyiv, Russian troops lost 20 km2 north and south of the devastated eastern Ukrainian city.
Fighters from Ukraine also penetrated Russia’s Belgorod region on Monday and Tuesday, once again highlighting the plight of Russian forces.
“Terrorizing Ukraine”
Ukraine hopes to continue advancing on the flanks of Bakhmut, to achieve a “tactical encirclement” of the city that until yesterday was surrounded by Wagner’s forces.
“The enemy tries to stop our advance on the flanks with artillery fire. He is reinforcing the flanks with additional units,” Maliar claimed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of continuing to “terrorize” his country and said his military shot down 36 Russian drones in strikes overnight from Wednesday to Thursday.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced on Thursday that Russia had already begun transferring nuclear weapons to his country, a move that the Belarusian opposition says poses a threat “for Ukraine and for all of Europe.”
Lukashenko, who made this announcement on the sidelines of a regional summit in Moscow, indicated that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, informed him that he had already signed the decree for the shipment of the nuclear warheads, although he did not specify whether the projectiles had already reached Belarusian territory.
“The transfer of nuclear weapons has started,” Lukashenko said in response to a journalist, in a video on the unofficial channel of the Belarusian presidency on Telegram.
Moscow announced in March that it would deploy “tactical” nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus, fueling fears of an escalation in the conflict in Ukraine and drawing criticism from the international community, especially from Western powers.
“This not only endangers the lives of Belarusians, but also creates a threat to Ukraine and the whole of Europe,” Belarusian opposition leader in exile Svetlana Tijanóvskaya said on Twitter on Thursday.
Relay in Bakhmut
The announcement came the same day that the Russian Wagner paramilitary group began handing over to the Russian army its positions in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, which it claims to have conquered after months of fierce fighting.
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Maliar said Wagner’s troops ceded positions to Russian regular troops “on the outskirts of Bakhmut” but remain in the city.
Maliar further claimed that Ukrainian soldiers still control a southwestern suburb of Bakhmut.
Wagner’s boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin, admitted on Wednesday that some 10,000 of the 50,000 inmates conscripted into Russian jails died in Ukraine, where they were on the front lines of the Battle of Bakhmut.
This relief occurs at a time when the Russian army is in difficulties on the flanks of Bakhmut. According to kyiv, Russian troops lost 20 km2 north and south of the devastated eastern Ukrainian city.
Fighters from Ukraine also penetrated Russia’s Belgorod region on Monday and Tuesday, once again highlighting the plight of Russian forces.
“Terrorizing Ukraine”
Ukraine hopes to continue advancing on the flanks of Bakhmut, to achieve a “tactical encirclement” of the city that until yesterday was surrounded by Wagner’s forces.
“The enemy tries to stop our advance on the flanks with artillery fire. He is reinforcing the flanks with additional units,” Maliar claimed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of continuing to “terrorize” his country and said his military shot down 36 Russian drones in strikes overnight from Wednesday to Thursday.