Belarus to Host Russian Hypersonic Missiles Following Nuclear Deal with Moscow

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko announced on Monday that his country now hosts dozens of Russian nuclear weapons, as part of a broader agreement with Moscow for the deployment of Russia's latest hypersonic missile, the Oreshnik. This decision comes after Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty last week that guarantees Belarusian security, including the potential use of Russian nuclear weapons in defense of the country. Under the updated nuclear doctrine, Belarus has been placed under Russia's nuclear umbrella for the first time, marking a significant shift in the region amid ongoing tensions with the West and the war in Ukraine.

Lukashenko, who has been in power for over three decades and maintains close ties with the Kremlin, has allowed Russian troops to use Belarusian territory in the invasion of Ukraine, including the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons. Tactical nuclear weapons, while not as powerful as intercontinental missiles, are designed for battlefield use and are less destructive. Lukashenko claimed that Belarus had secretly deployed these nuclear warheads, boasting that the West had failed to track their movement. The deployment of such weapons in Belarus, which shares a long border with Ukraine, would give Russia easier and faster access to target key locations in NATO countries in Eastern and Central Europe, raising concerns about further regional instability.

In Ukraine, Russian attacks continue to escalate. On December 10, Russian forces launched a strike on the city of Zaporizhzhia, resulting in at least six fatalities and injuring 22 others. Emergency response teams are still working at the scene to rescue survivors, with a private clinic among the destroyed buildings. As of the morning of...