Alexander Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, has in a recent statement issued a stark warning to his enemies, pledging to cause "crippling damage" if provoked.
This statement was made during a meeting reported by BelTA, a state-owned Belarusian news agency, on February 20th.
Nuclear Deterrence as a Warning
During the meeting, Lukashenko pointed to Belarus's capability to defend itself and its readiness to cause significant harm to any aggressor.
He stated, "We have everything necessary to defend ourselves reliably, and as the military says, inflict crippling damage on the adversary. … To be maximally prepared for neutralising risks and threats."
This is not the first instance of Lukashenko threatening to use Russian-deployed nuclear weapons in Belarus.
In October 2023, he hinted at their use to cause significant harm if Belarus were attacked.
