MINSK. May 7 (Interfax) - The preparedness check of tactical nuclear forces and carriers which has begun in Belarus is entirely defensive, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said.
"We start training for the second phase of response today. We plan to practice using non-strategic nuclear weapons for the first time," Lukashenko said at a Victory Day meeting hosted by the Palace of the Republic, as quoted by the First Man's Pool Telegram channel close to the presidential administration.
"This check is entirely defensive," Lukashenko said.
"We are not going to give in to provocations. We are not going to fight anyone. Throwing people into the crucible of war is not for me. Our task is to prevent an enemy from ever setting foot on our soil again, so we must inflict unacceptable damage on the enemy. [...]This is a weapon of deterrence. This is a defensive weapon. No one would use it for an offensive," he said.
"This is a planned exercise in defending our country, which involves several stages," Lukashenko was quoted by the BelTA state agency as saying.
During the first stage, reinforced armored and mechanized battalions were deployed to the Oshmyany and Postavy sectors in response to a concentration of troops (some 90,000 already) near the northwestern Belarusian border. They practiced preventing incursions by sabotage-reconnaissance groups and fighting these, and maintaining general order in the border areas.
This backdrop also involved mobilizing mechanized and antiaircraft brigades and putting them on full alert. "And the last one: a large-scale check of air forces," Lukashenko said. These checks demonstrated the efficiency of the existing system of combat and mobilization readiness, the brigades' being combat-ready to the utmost and their preparedness to execute core missions.
At present, covering forces are rotating in the northwestern sector. Units of a separate mechanized brigade are deploying to new areas of operation. They are about to be replaced by a reinforced battalion-tactical group from another separate mechanized brigade, which is on its way.
"Today we are proceeding to the second stage of practicing response measures. For this stage, the general staffs of the Belarusian and Russian armed forces have envisaged testing the forces and equipment of the joint regional group of troops, which for the first time will involve practicing deployment of non-strategic nuclear weapons," Lukashenko said.
"The exercise will involve delivering special ammunition to missile and air force units, loading onto launchers and attaching to aircraft. Missile battalions on Iskander and Polonez launchers will be stealthily moved to designated positions to practice missile strikes to repel a probable attack on Belarus," Lukashenko said.
The Belarusian Defense Ministry announced the beginning of a preparedness check of tactical nuclear forces and carriers earlier on Tuesday.