Pavel Muraveiko. Image credit: ONT
MINSK, 30 June (BelTA) – The Belarusian army now knows how to use non-strategic nuclear weapons and will use them if the country’s sovereignty and independence are threatened. Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, First Deputy Defense Minister, Major-General Pavel Muraveiko made the statement on the air of the Belarusian TV channel ONT, BelTA has learned.
Pavel Muraveiko said: “Weapons are expensive toys that transnational corporations, weapon manufacturers love playing with. This is why wars are unleashed in order to continue building up and developing the military-industrial complex. Militarization has been created artificially.”
He pointed out: “The Russian Federation has been portrayed as a threat to the Baltic states, a threat to Poland. They claim that Russia allegedly wants to return to the distribution of territories before the Potsdam conference.”
“We have a wise leader. We have quite an adequate policy, which allows us to steer away from extremes and from militarization. A complex of factors is at play. Diplomacy is at play: the establishment of relations with various countries and organizations. In literally several days the Republic of Belarus will become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. And I think that [Poland] wants to interfere with this actually accomplished step. Or at least to add a spoon of tar to the barrel of honey. That’s one point. Secondly, in addition to diplomacy and communication with other countries we have military technology cooperation. Thirdly, we participate in international organizations and other institutions. We have the Union State of Belarus and Russia and the Collective Security Treaty Organization,” the officer said.
“One of the last arguments and points that act as a deterrent is the return of non-strategic nuclear weapons into our country’s territory. We have been trained how to handle these weapons. We can use them with confidence. We are capable of doing it. And have no doubt we will use them if the sovereignty and independence of our country are threatened,” Pavel Muraveiko stated.
