MINSK. Aug 8 (Interfax) - The deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus makes it possible to establish a strategic parity with the West, Chairman of the Standing Commission on International Affairs of the House of Representatives of the Belarusian National Assembly Andrei Savinykh said.
"In essence, we have nullified all NATO efforts to enhance military build-up in our region. At the same time, we are not trying to compete with the NATO bloc. [North Atlantic] Alliance member states spend more than $1 trillion on arms. Belarus has a military budget of $500 million. Russia spends about $80 billion. These figures are not comparable. And the nuclear capability makes it possible for us to ensure strategic invulnerability. Defense policy within the framework of the Union of Belarus and Russia allows us to equalize differences in military capabilities between the countries," Savinykh said in an interview with the Belarusian state-run news agency BelTA.
Nuclear weapons have been present in Western Europe for decades, he said. "About 150 U.S. nuclear warheads are stationed in France, the Netherlands, Germany. And that's not counting the United Kingdom. So, we are simply establishing strategic parity and making any assault on Belarus impossible or impractical. This is our response decision," he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on June 16 that Russia had delivered the first batch of nuclear weapons to Belarus.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on July 6 that all the Russian nuclear weapons that were planned to be redeployed to Belarus would arrive to the country before the end of this year, and that "the most part has been redeployed and is now in Belarus."