Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service: No Nukes in Belarus

The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine has refuted claims about the deployment of nuclear weapons and ‘Oreshnik’ ballistic missiles in Belarus, as previously announced by Alexander Lukashenko.

Oleh Ivashchenko, head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, confirmed this in an interview with Ukrinform.

According to him, while Belarus hosts fighter jets and Iskander missile systems capable of carrying tactical nuclear warheads, intelligence gathered by the Foreign Intelligence Service does not support the presence or transfer of nuclear weapons into the country.

Meanwhile, Ivashchenko noted that work was underway in Belarus to set up storage facilities for nuclear warheads, indicating intentions to deploy such weapons in the future.

Last December, Alexander Lukashenko publicly claimed that at least several dozen tactical nuclear warheads had been brought into Belarus from Russia.

“I brought nuclear warheads here. Not just a few—dozens. Many say, ‘Ah, it’s a joke, nothing was actually brought in.’ But they were. And the fact that people are calling it a joke just means they missed it. They didn’t even notice how we brought them in,” Lukashenko said.

He also expressed his willingness—and Russia’s readiness—to deploy “Oreshnik” medium-range ballistic missiles in Belarus, on sites that once hosted strategic nuclear missiles during the Soviet era. However, according to intelligence reports, this deployment has not taken place to date.

“Lukashenko says they will have the ‘Oreshnik’ by the end of the year. But this seems more like wishful thinking,” noted the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine. “As of now, there is no such deployment, and it is unlikely to happen.”

Belarus’s Nuclear Potential

Discussions about the deployment of nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory intensified following the transfer of Russian Iskander missile systems to the country in 2023. This move was accompanied by corresponding statements from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who claimed that the self-proclaimed president of Belarus had long been requesting such an arrangement.

In April, the Belarusian Ministry of Defence, together with its Russian counterpart Sergey Shoigu, announced the training of the Belarusian operators of the Iskander systems, including preparation for the use of missiles equipped with nuclear warheads.

Shoigu also stated that Belarusian Air Force’s attack aircraft had been upgraded to enable them to carry and launch missiles with nuclear payloads.

In December 2024, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko signed a security guarantees agreement within the framework of the “Union State,” which allows for the use of “all available forces and means” to protect the sovereignty and independence of both partner nations.

The Secretary of the State Security Council of Belarus, Alexander Volfovich, claimed that the Belarusian leader allegedly had his own “red button” and a personal “nuclear briefcase.”