Putin Confirms Delivery of Russian Nuclear Weapons to Belarus Amid Ukraine War

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the first tactical nuclear weapons have been delivered to Belarus, with more to come by the end of the year. Putin insists that Russia is meeting its non-proliferation obligations by retaining control of the weapons, though it has trained Belarusian troops on their storage and use. The move threatens to increase tensions with the US and its allies over the war in Ukraine. Putin stated that the use of nuclear weapons would only happen if there is a threat to Russian statehood, which he does not see as a necessity at present.