Putin confirms nuclear weapons in Belarus, US rejects Russian saber-rattling Russia-Ukraine struggle information

America has not revised its nuclear posture following Russia’s deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus and condemned feedback by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Moscow may “theoretically” use nuclear weapons if its territorial integrity or existence have been threatened. Who’s in peril?

US Secretary of State Anthony Blanken mentioned on Friday that Washington has not modified its nuclear stance Putin confirmed for the first time that Russia has nuclear weapons in Belarus.

“We now have no purpose to regulate our personal nuclear posture. We see no indication that Russia is getting ready to make use of a nuclear weapon,” Blanken mentioned.

Blanken mentioned it was “ironic” that Putin had Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus when the Russian chief justified the assault on Ukraine on the grounds that he needed to forestall Kiev from buying such weapons.

Speaking at Russia’s Annual Economic Forum in St. Petersburg On Friday, Putin mentioned that Russian tactical nuclear warheads had already been delivered close to ally Belarus, however careworn that Russia didn’t at the moment want to make use of nuclear weapons.

“The primary nuclear warhead was delivered to the territory of Belarus. However solely the primary, the primary half. However we are going to do it utterly by the tip of the summer time or the tip of the 12 months,” Putin mentioned.

The Russian chief mentioned the deployment of the warheads – the primary exterior Russia because the fall of the Soviet Union – was supposed to warn the West about arming and aiding Ukraine. The West, he mentioned, can do every little thing to face the strategic defeat of Russia in Ukraine.

“That is primarily as a deterrent issue so that each one those that are serious about inflicting a strategic defeat on us should not oblivious to this case,” Putin mentioned.

However, for now, Russia did not need to use nuclear weaponsHe mentioned talks with the West to scale back Russia’s huge nuclear arsenal have been a non-starter.

“Nuclear weapons are designed to make sure our safety within the broadest sense of the phrase and the existence of the Russian state, however now we have no such want. [to use them]Putin mentioned.

“That is sufficient [the potential use of nuclear weapons] Reduces nuclear vary. We now have greater than NATO nations, and so they wish to cut back our numbers. Contact them,” he mentioned.

The Institute for the Research of Warfare, a Washington, D.C.-based suppose tank, mentioned on Friday that Moscow’s deployment of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus is a part of a long-term effort to “cement Russia’s de facto navy management over Belarus,” however Not more likely to be heralded. A Russian extension.

J #Kremlin claimed #Russia has begun shifting tactical nuclear warheads (beneath Russian management). #Belarusin keeping with beforehand introduced plans. https://t.co/ywHzDwCVUp https://t.co/Ls7uq84PZt

— ISW (@TheStudyofWar) 17 June 2023

‘You possibly can’t battle for lengthy’

A stupid nod to his war in UkraineThe Russian chief mentioned that Kiev’s retaliatory motion in opposition to the Russian forces has to this point not achieved any important outcomes, and that the Ukrainian forces are struggling heavy losses and can quickly run out of navy tools, making them utterly uncontrolled. Will depend on {hardware} offered by the West.

“There’s nothing left.” Every thing they battle over and every little thing they use is imported. Nicely, you may’t battle like this for lengthy,” he mentioned.

Pointing to Western-supplied weapons corresponding to German-made Leopard tanks, Putin mentioned they have been routinely destroyed by his forces and that if Kiev obtained American-made F-16 fighter jets from its allies, they too would go up in flames. He additionally hinted that Russia would goal such fighter jets at areas exterior of Ukraine.

“If they’ll be taken out of Ukraine and utilized in hostilities, now we have to take a look at how and the place the property utilized in hostilities in opposition to us are included,” he mentioned.

He added that focusing on F-16s exterior Ukraine offered a “critical threat” of drawing NATO additional into the battle.

In a while Friday, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy He mentioned each meter of Ukrainian territory recaptured from Russian forces was “of the utmost significance” throughout the present counter-operation.

“Each soldier, each new step we take, each meter of Ukrainian land free of the enemy is extraordinarily necessary,” Zelensky mentioned in his in a single day video deal with after a gathering with prime navy commanders.

Ukraine’s Deputy Protection Minister Hanna Milion has beforehand mentioned that troops are “engaged in energetic motion to advance in a number of instructions directly” alongside the entrance line; And within the south, the troops had superior “in each route” by 2 kilometers (1.3 mi).

In japanese Ukraine, Milion mentioned Russian forces have been making an attempt to dislodge Ukrainian forces from entrenched positions, whereas Ukrainian forces have been making an attempt to push Russian forces out of town’s outskirts across the destroyed metropolis of Bakhmut.