MINSK, October 7. /TASS/. Iskander tactical missile systems and S-400 medium-to-long-range surface-to-air missile launchers will enter service with the Belarusian army, the press office of the republic’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday, citing Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin after a meeting with journalists.

“The defense minister announced the arrival of some new weapons for the troops: these are Iskander missile systems and S-400 air defense systems, and the presentation of combat unmanned platforms will be held in October,” the ministry said.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said in May this year that Belarus had purchased the required amount of Iskander tactical missile systems and S-400 surface-to-air missile launchers from Russia. Before that, Lukashenko said that Minsk expected under a deal with Moscow to keep Russian Iskander missile systems and S-400 air defense systems employed in the republic during the Union Resolve 2022 Russia-Belarus joint drills, TASS reports.

Belarus, Russia begin deploying joint group of forces, says Lukashenko

MINSK, October 10. /TASS/. Belarus and Russia are beginning to deploy a joint regional group of forces, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Monday.

The Belarusian leader said that he had held a tete-a-tete meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin after an informal CIS summit in St. Petersburg.

“In the wake of escalations on the western borders of the Union State, we agreed on deploying a regional group of forces of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. All these moves are consistent with our documents,” the BelTA news agency quoted Lukashenko as saying at a meeting with defense and security officials.

“Now that the level of danger has reached this point, we will begin deploying a group of forces of the Union State,” he said.

As the Belarusian leader said, Russia is now pre-occupied with its own problems to deal with this new conflict.

“A second conflict is what we do not need. As you know, they have their own problems now. That is why, do not count on a large number [from the contingent] of the Russian Armed Forces but this group will number more than one thousand-strong,” Lukashenko said, addressing the defense minister.

“Be ready in the near future to take these people and put them where they need to be, according to our plan, without overdoing it and inflaming the situation,” the Belarusian leader said.

Lukashenko will employ best response to threat of nuclear weapons deployed in Poland

MINSK, October 7. /TASS/. Minsk and Moscow will think on how to respond to the threat of deployment of nuclear weapons in Poland, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told reporters upon arrival to the informal CIS summit in St. Petersburg.

“You have heard statements that were made, that they have allegedly already agreed to move nuclear arsenals to Poland,” Lukashenko said, according to BelTA. “We will think. We have decided, we will think once again how to respond to this. Don’t worry, everything will be okay.”

​​​On October 6, Lukashenko said during a meeting that Poland has long made an agreement with the US to deploy tactical nuclear arsenals on Polish territory, which indicates that “we really face a tactical nuclear attack, and measures must be taken.”

Polish President Andrzej Duda said in an interview that the issue of deployment of American tactical weapons in the country remains open. According to Duda, Poland could take part in the Nuclear Sharing program to have US nuclear weapons deployed on its territory. This program implies deployment and storage of US nuclear arsenal in NATO member states.