Alexander Lukashenko said during his annual address on March 31 that if “if the Russian leadership realizes that the situation threatens the collapse of Russia, the most terrible weapon will be used.” To whom this threat was addressed – Lukashenka did not specify, but probably he meant the countries of the West and Ukraine, with which Russia is now at war.
Lukashenka’s message to the parliament and the Belarusian people lasted more than two hours. Lukashenka during it declaredthat he would “risk” to offer a truce for the warring in Ukraine, but it should include a complete ban on the movement and regrouping of troops and weapons on both sides. The Ukrainian side, which is now preparing for an offensive, has previously rejected such proposals.
At the same time, Lukashenko said, if this truce is used to strengthen the positions of Ukraine and the West, then “Russia is obliged to use all the power of the military-industrial complex and the army to prevent the escalation of the conflict.” “Phosphorus munitions, and depleted uranium, and enriched uranium, all have to go into action,” he said.
Lukashenka in his speech supported the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in the country, which was recently announced by Vladimir Putin. According to him, this is “an opportunity to secure the Belarusian state and ensure peace for the Belarusian people.”
Belarusian diplomat Pavel Latushko, in an interview with Current Time, said that Lukashenka needed these nuclear weapons as a guarantee that Western countries would not be able to prosecute him for a massive violation of human rights:
According to Vladimir Putin, the construction of a storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus should be completed by July 1. In addition, the Iskander missile system, which can use these weapons, was transferred to Belarus, and 10 aircraft of the Belarusian Air Force were converted to carry nuclear missiles.
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Lukashenka also again accused Poland and other Western countries of preparing an attack on Belarus and a coup in the country. They, as Lukashenka said, “are preparing to invade the territory of Belarus to destroy our country” and make “militants” out of “fugitive” Belarusians.
He explained his words by the fact that the transfer of NATO troops to the east is proceeding at an accelerated pace. According to him, the Alliance grouping in Poland and the Baltic countries alone has more than 21,000 military personnel, 250 tanks, almost 500 armored vehicles, about 150 aircraft and helicopters. “And this whole armada is defiantly training near the borders of Belarus and Russia,” he said.
With the outbreak of the war, the Belarusian state channels repeat the Russian information agenda regarding the war with Ukraine: they keep back, deliberately hide or twist the facts. Traditionally, state-owned information resources accuse the West of wanting to attack Russia and Belarus, publicly support a military invasion, and also talk about Nazism in Ukraine.
