DISINFO: Belarus needs nuclear weapons to counteract aggressive NATO and Ukraine
SUMMARY
The Union State agreement obliges Russia to defend its allies with whatever arms, including nuclear weapons. Belarus indeed needs more serious assistance because it is encircled by hostile countries from the three sides – Ukraine and NATO members.
RESPONSE
The article gives a false pretext for stationing Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus in the context of nuclear fearmongering. The ‘aggressive West’ disinformation claim is frequently promoted in pro-Kremlin media – it is part of the recurring disinformation narrative accusing the West of anti-Russian and anti-Belarusian policies, the West's allegedly belligerent and hostile agenda towards them.
Reacting to the possible deployment of a nuclear weapon in Belarus announced by Russia, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, HRVP Josep Borrell wrote on Twitter: “Belarus hosting Russian nuclear weapons would mean an irresponsible escalation & threat to European security. Belarus can still stop it, it is their choice. The EU stands ready to respond with further sanctions”.
The Kremlin messaging of stationing nuclear weapons is a convenient way of achieving more aims in one manipulative move. It activates the fear in Western target audiences of nuclear Armageddon. It limits the freedom to manoeuvre of Lukashenka and Minsk tying them closer to Moscow. There will be a price should Minsk want to say no.
Read earlier disinformation cases alleging that nuclear weapons in Belarus are justified because of territorial claims of Poland and the Baltic states, that the West’s hybrid war against Russia forced it to station nuclear weapons in Belarus, and that the EU might start a war against Belarus and Transnistria.