Lukashenko sees withdrawal of strategic nuclear arms from Belarus after USSR collapse as mistake

It was a mistake to withdraw strategic nuclear weapons from Belarus after the USSR collapse, Lukashenko made the statement

It was a mistake to withdraw strategic nuclear weapons from Belarus after the USSR collapse. Belarus President, Chairman of the Belarusian People’s Congress Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement in his speech at a session of the 7th Belarusian People’s Congress on 25 April, BelTA has learned. Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “I had to sign this document. But if I had to make the decision back then, we would have never withdrawn strategic nuclear weapons from Belarus’ territory. It was a most powerful arsenal. We would not need any other modern weapons. But the decision was made before I could do it upon demands of Americans.” Tactical nuclear weapons from Russia have been deployed in Belarus upon request of the head of state. “They have to be in Belarus’ territory,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed. In his words, among other things it fits the concept for inflicting unacceptable damage upon the adversary. “Even before nuclear weapons were deployed in Belarus, we were intent on inflicting unacceptable damage upon them. I want them to realize that we can strike so much that it will be unacceptable for them,” the head of state explained. “Standing face-to-face and shooting at each other is not the idea. We understand perfectly well that it would be very difficult. Next to impossible. This is why our previous military documents mentioned the factor of inflicting unacceptable military damage.”