UN researcher doubts presence of Russian nukes in Belarus

December 11, Pozirk. There is no evidence that Russian nuclear warheads have been delivered to Belarus, Pavel Podvig, a senior researcher at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), has told The Insider.
His conclusion mirrors a similar report by the BelPol association of former Belarusian law enforcers issued about two weeks ago.
Alaksandar Łukašenka’s statements about the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus should be taken with a grain of salt, Podvig noted.
Most likely, Minsk does not have nuclear warheads, he said, noting that the Russian system of handling nuclear warheads excludes the possibility of their transportation to Belarus. Western intelligence agencies did not report the transfer of nuclear weapons, he added.
Russian nukes are likely to be stored at a centralized storage facility, with the closest one to Belarus located in Russia’s Bryansk province, Podvig said.
Nuclear weapons require security, including bunkers with steel doors, heavily guarded deforested premises and a lot of personnel, he noted. Even though Minsk was reportedly engaged in the construction of a similar facility, it does not mean that real nuclear weapons are there, he added.
Minsk allowed Russia to deploy tactical nuclear munitions in Belarus last spring. In late 2023, Łukašenka confirmed their delivery. Yesterday, he reiterated that he allowed Russia to deliver dozens of nuclear warheads.
A leaked CIA report suggested that nukes might be stored in the Mahiloŭ region yet doubts persist as to their presence in Belarus.
BelPol: no evidence of Russian nukes in Belarus
- Economy
- Politics
- Politics, SocietyLithuania suspects dozens of facilitating cigarette smuggling from BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyLithuania’s president lists conditions for engagement with MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecuritySweden's army commander inspects defenses at Lithuanian-Belarusian borderThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- EconomyRubel drops 3.2 percent against US dollar at cash exchange offices in MarchThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja’s aide meets special envoy Coale in WashingtonThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsGeologist skeptical of Łukašenka’s expectations for discovery of new oil depositsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarus opens another patrol station on its border with UkraineThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsKGB adds Pinsk resident Dzienisienka to its list of terroristsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarusian tank crews go to Russia for trainingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBBC dismisses “extremist” label as attempt to criminalize journalismThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsVilnius confirms imprisonment of Lithuanian man in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁatuška in Strasbourg to discuss accountability for ŁukašenkaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus convicts jeweler who made items for Cichanoŭskaja of extremismThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsInfluencer Vadanosava donates €10,000 raised for her mother to political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Economy, PoliticsMinsk wants to step up diplomatic, economic ties with BogotaThe material is available only to POZIRK+



