Minsk: Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has claimed that his country’s military has a modified version of the SU-24 capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Lukashenko is a close ally of Russia and a friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Before the invasion of Ukraine, Russian troops conducted a series of joint military exercises and weapons deployments in Belarus.
Lukashenko’s comments came in response to possible provocation from NATO ally and neighboring Poland. ‘If the West is trying to create provocation, they should remember one thing. No helicopters or planes can save them. It is not a good idea to provoke Belarus.
Because, remember, that would be a provocation to the nuclear-armed Union State (an alliance of Russia and Ukraine). If problems start to arise, the response is immediate. ” Lukashenko said. Lukashenko had previously accused Western provocation that led Russia to military action in Ukraine.
At the same time, Belarus reportedly decommissioned SU-24 fighter jets. There is no official confirmation that these have been put back into service. Vladimir Putin announced in June that he would hand over the Iskander-M missile system to Belarus.