Russian President Vladimir Putin has inched closer to putting the world into World War Three after it was revealed that nuclear weapons are being moved to Belarus.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, the Russian leader's closest ally, announced that the Russian nukes were coming his way on Thursday, May 25.
It comes after Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu met with his Belarusian counterpart Viktor Khrenin in Minsk to sign documents confirming the agreement, the Daily Star reports.
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This pact will see tactical nuclear weapons deployed on foreign soil by Russia for the first time since 1991, with Kremlin military chiefs remaining in charge of the nukes located in the country that shares a 674-mile border with Ukraine.
"We had to prepare storage facilities and the rest over there [in Belarus]. We’ve done all of that. This is why the relocation of nuclear munitions began," Lukashenko said at the Eurasian Economic Forum in Moscow.
He was then questioned as to whether nukes were already in his country, to which he replied: "Maybe. I will go and take a look."
As well as Ukraine, Belarus borders three NATO countries, meaning Russia's weapons will be able to reach several capital cities across Europe from Belarus.
While the Kremlin defended the move, again repeating one of Putin's favourite lines and accusing Western powers supporting Ukraine of provocation, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller condemned the agreement.
He said: "It's the latest example of irresponsible behaviour that we have seen from Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine over a year ago."
He added: "We have seen no reason to adjust our strategic nuclear posture or any indications that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon."
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