Vladimir Putin has been hinting at the possibility of nuclear escalation in Ukraine to deter western support, but international affairs analysts have suggested there is no evidence that Russia has in fact placed its nuclear forces on alert. While viewed by NATO as dangerous and irresponsible, expert professor David Dunn believes the Kremlin’s recent threat to deploy tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of close ally Belarus is unlikely to have significant real-world consequences.
Birmingham University’s Chair of International Politics, Professor Dunn told Express.co.uk: “President Putin’s plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus is the latest in a series of announcements on nuclear issues designed to unsettle western audiences.
“Even before the war started in February 2022 Putin has repeatedly tried to deter western support to Ukraine by hinting that Moscow might escalate to the use of nuclear weapons.
“Despite such rhetoric, however, there have been no indications that Russia has actually put its nuclear forces on a war footing. Instead, statements like this latest threat are part of an ‘information campaign’ to undermine public support for Ukraine.
“While NATO described the statement as ‘dangerous and irresponsible’ for increasing tension and hinting at escalation at a time of hostilities, the move itself has little real-world consequences.”
He continued: “The movement of Russian SU 24 fighters to Belarus has already taken place and the movement of nuclear weapons for these fighters would not happen until July.
“Some commentators question whether it will ever actually happen given Moscow’s tight control of its nuclear weapons.
“The new deployment is also small, 10 jets, and is of an aircraft first introduced in the mid-1970s. Designated as a ‘Fencer’ by NATO, the SU 24 is an ageing third-generation aircraft, think the Ford Cortina of the jet world.
“It offers no new nuclear capability that Russia has not already got to target the west.
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“Instead, it is a symbolic move to bolster the sense of the importance of the Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko and an effort to draw attention to US nuclear-capable aircraft deployed in Europe.
“While designed to be alarmist the move should be recognised as what it is, more nuclear sabre rattling from Putin.”
Days after Putin announced the plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, a massive military exercise took place.
On Wednesday, the Russian military held exercises for their strategic missile forces in Siberia, displaying their significant nuclear capabilities amidst the conflict in Ukraine.
The drills involved the use of Yars mobile missile launchers, which will be transported across three regions of Siberia while taking measures to conceal their deployment from foreign intelligence.
How long the exercises would run and whether any practice launches were planned were not disclosed.
The Yars missile is an intercontinental ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead and a range of over 6,800 miles, and it is a critical component of Russia’s strategic missile forces.
Russia’s Defense Ministry released a video showcasing the massive trucks carrying the missiles departing from a base to go on patrol, with approximately 3,000 troops and 300 vehicles involved in the manoeuvres in eastern Siberia.
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