Belarus says stockpiling 'dozens' of nuclear weapons

President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus has warned enemies that the Russian ally has "dozens" of nuclear warheads stockpiled in its arsenal.

Lukashenko said on Tuesday that his country has dozens of Russian nuclear weapons at its disposal, which he warned will be used if Minsk comes under attack. However, he also did say the use of nuclear weapons carries an enormous responsibility.

He added, the pro-Moscow country is preparing launching sites for the soon deployment of Russia's newest hypersonic ballistic missile.

Approximately 30 sites for "Oreshnik" have already been prepared, he said.

He pointed out that the powerful, yet conventional, Oreshnik missile systems were put in position that were "close to potential targets."

Lukashenko warned belligerent countries that in the event of an invasion of Belarus, the military response would be "immediate."

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"If we have such conventional but powerful weapons, anyone thinking of attacking us with tanks - like the ones Poland is acquiring from Korea, America, or with other armored vehicles and missiles - will think twice. The response will be serious. There’s really no antidote against this weapon. It’s impossible to intercept or shoot it down," Lukashenko noted.

Lukashenko further stated that targets for the missile system in Belarus would be determined by Minsk, while the "launch button" would be pressed jointly with Moscow.

The Belarus leader's remarks came days after he and his Russian counterpart signed a defense treaty.

Last week, President Vladimir Putin and Lukashenko signed an agreement giving Minsk Moscow’s security guarantees.

Putin said on Friday that the new defense treaty "will make it possible to reliably protect the security of Russia and Belarus, thus creating conditions for further peaceful and sustainable development of the two states."

Minsk is presently Moscow’s closest ally. The neighboring countries are joined as one entity in the Union State of Russia and Belarus, also referred to as the Union State, a borderless alliance between the two former Soviet republics.

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