Russia is training the crews of Belarusian aircraft modified to use special ammunition as part of a symmetrical response to the actions of the North Atlantic Alliance.

This was stated by Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Galuzin.

“During a working visit to Minsk by Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 19, a decision was announced to provide training for the crews of combat aircraft converted for the possible use of ammunition with a special warhead,” RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.

The diplomat recalled that "similar events have been carried out by the United States with its NATO allies for decades."

“In this case, we are also talking about a symmetrical response by Russia and Belarus to the unfriendly steps of the countries of the alliance,” the deputy head of the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized.

Mikhail Galuzin also announced the transfer of S-400 and Iskander systems to Minsk.

“In particular, the latest models of Russian weapons were transferred to the Armed Forces of Belarus: S-400 air defense systems, Iskander mobile operational-tactical missile launchers ... This should increase the combat capability of the Belarusian army and the efficiency of the unified Russian-Belarusian air defense system,” — he said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

Recall that Vladimir Putin during his visit to Minsk earlier said that Russia would continue to train crews for aircraft of the Belarusian army.

“I consider it possible to continue the implementation of the proposals of the President of Belarus to train the crews of combat aircraft of the Belarusian army, which have already been converted for the possible use of air-launched ammunition with a special warhead,” the Russian leader said.

He stressed that "such coordinated measures are extremely important in connection with the tense situation on the external borders of the Union State."

overdue proposal

This summer, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko turned to Vladimir Putin with a request to modernize some Belarusian aircraft so that they can carry nuclear charges.

“We are very concerned about the issues of training flights of US aircraft, NATO aircraft, which are trained to carry nuclear warheads and nuclear charges.

It makes us very stressed.

Therefore, I ask you to consider the question of a mirror answer to these things.

No busting,” Lukashenka said at the time.

  • Aircraft Su-27 of the aviation group of the Air Force of Belarus

  • RIA News

  • © Alexey Danichev

In turn, the President of the Russian Federation then admitted that the modernized Su-25 attack aircraft, which the Belarusian Armed Forces have, could be used for this purpose.

“The Belarusian army is armed with a fairly large group of Su-25 aircraft.

They could be appropriately equipped and the training of the flight personnel could be started accordingly,” Vladimir Putin noted.

The President of the Russian Federation added that the corresponding modernization "should be carried out at aircraft factories in Russia."

In August, Alyaksandr Lukashenka reported that Belarusian planes had been converted to carry special ammunition.

“They must understand that no helicopters, planes, if they escalate, will not save them.

Putin and I once said in St. Petersburg that we would also re-equip the Belarusian Su planes so that they could carry nuclear weapons.

What do you think, we blurt out the language?

Everything is ready!"

- said then the President of Belarus.

"You can't trust them"

Both Moscow and Minsk have repeatedly stated that the US and NATO, by their actions in the field of nuclear weapons in Europe, increase tension and are provocative.

So, back in January, Alexander Lukashenko, in his message to the people and parliament, said that American strategic bombers daily make about 30 flights along the borders of the Union State.

In turn, State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Alexander Volfovich then noted that the NATO Air Force was working out the potential possibility of using cruise missiles near the borders of the Union State, including those with nuclear warheads.

At the same time, Russia has repeatedly drawn attention to the so-called joint nuclear missions of the alliance.

  • Russian Foreign Ministry

  • RIA News

  • © Natalia Seliverstova

Recall that within the framework of these missions, non-nuclear NATO members receive nuclear weapons on their territories, participate in the planning of their use, and their military personnel and aviation are involved in training on possible nuclear strikes.

In August, Andrey Belousov, Deputy Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva, speaking at a conference of countries participating in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), said that this practice contradicts the key provisions of this document.

“We have repeatedly heard statements that this practice does not contradict the NPT and the conduct of such missions was allegedly agreed upon at the stage of preparing the treaty.

We consider such arguments nothing more than excuses to justify actions that run counter to the key provisions of the NPT,” the diplomat said.

According to Belousov, "the conclusion suggests itself that in the future NATO member states can be expected to justify any use of nuclear weapons."

In a RT commentary, Andrei Koshkin, a member of the Academy of Military Sciences of the Russian Federation, recalled that the United States and NATO have at least six military bases in Europe that store nuclear weapons.

“All of them are designed to strike targets on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Russia is discussing such interaction with Belarus, since a huge amount of weapons, military equipment and NATO manpower is concentrated on the western border of the Union State.

Moreover, the statements of Moscow and Minsk cause a negative reaction in the West, while similar steps taken by NATO, for example, joint nuclear missions, have been considered the norm for decades, ”the political scientist emphasized.

Russia is taking adequate mirror measures in response to the actions of the alliance with nuclear weapons near its borders, military expert Alexei Leonkov said in a conversation with RT.

“In recent years, the Americans have consistently conducted exercises with the countries of the bloc, in which their aircraft carried tactical nuclear weapons, B61-12 bombs.

We are talking about such common aircraft in the EU as the F-16.

This is a direct violation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, but the Americans are still conducting "joint nuclear missions."

Now we have taken a retaliatory step, and the Belarusian operational-tactical aviation will be able to carry this kind of ammunition, ”the expert said.

In the future, the United States and NATO can be expected to deploy medium-range missiles on their territory, such as the Tomahawk, which can be launched using the Mk 41 systems already in Europe, Leonkov said.

“Despite the US claims that these carriers will be non-nuclear, they cannot be trusted.

Therefore, as soon as such installations appear, we should expect a symmetrical response from Moscow.

Russia will have medium-range missiles with hypersonic technology, which, in terms of their speed and maneuverability, will surpass everything that the Americans will supply in Europe, ”Leonkov emphasized.

From his point of view, the Union State of Russia and Belarus cannot sit idly by and watch the strengthening of NATO at its borders.

“This was the reason for the extended visit, when the President of the Russian Federation, the Minister of Defense, the Chief of the General Staff and other representatives of the military-political leadership met with Belarusian colleagues and discussed issues of expanding military-technical cooperation and nuclear security,” the expert concluded.