Belarusian warplanes ready to carry nuclear arms, says Putin's ally Lukashenko

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has claimed that his country's military has modified the SU-24 warplanes to carry nuclear weapons.

Belarus had hosted Russian troops before the Ukraine invasion, however, the country does not possess nuclear weapons.

Also Read in Pics:Russia parksIskander-M missile system along Ukraine

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Referring to the potential threat from neighbouring Poland, a NATO ally, Lukashenko, who is a staunch ally of President Putin, said: “They (the West) must understand that if they opt for escalation, no helicopters or planes will save them.”

“It's not a good idea to escalate things with Belarus because that would be an escalation with the Union State (Russia and Belarus) which has nuclear weapons. If they start to create problems...the response will be immediate,” Lukashenko warned amid the Ukraine war.

Watch:Six months of Russia-Ukraine war

Lukashenko had earlier accused the West of escalating tensions with Russia and provoking the Ukrainewar. The Belarus president had said Ukraine must accept the loss of territory amid the war.

"We, along with Putin, said once in St. Petersburg that we will adapt the Belarusian Su 24 planes as well to make them capable to carry nuclear arms. Do you think we were just yakking? Everything is ready!" Lukashenko was quoted as saying in Minsk.

Reports claim Belarus had decommissioned its Su-24 fleet, however, there is no confirmation that it has been put back into action. Putin had promised to supply Iskander-M missile systems to Belarus after he met Lukashenkoin St. Petersburg in June.

(With inputs from Agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE