Don't back Putin into a nuclear corner, Belarusian leader warns - NBC News

ASTANA, Kazakhstan — Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has a informing for the West: Do not propulsion Russian President Vladimir Putin into a corner.

Russia has atomic weapons for a crushed and crossing Putin’s “red lines” successful Ukraine would beryllium a mistake, the strongman and adjacent Kremlin state said successful an exclusive interrogation Friday.

“If you backmost a idiosyncratic oregon a state into the corner, determination is lone 1 mode out — forward,” Lukashenko told NBC’s Keir Simmons connected the sidelines of a determination acme of post-Soviet leaders successful Astana, the superior of Kazakhstan. “That’s wherefore don’t transverse reddish lines, you cannot transverse them.” 

Asked if his Russian counterpart was prepared to usage atomic weapons successful Ukraine, Lukashenko struck an apocalyptic tone, but besides downplayed the anticipation of atomic arms usage arsenic not indispensable and suicidal.

“If determination is, God forbid, an onslaught connected the territory of the Russian Federation, Russia can, if necessary, usage each kinds of weapons,” helium said. “Never, ne'er has President Putin oregon the Russian enactment acceptable a extremity to usage atomic weapons successful Ukraine.”

Lukashenko alternatively pointed to this week’s monolithic barrage of Russian rocket strikes against civilian and captious infrastructure successful Ukraine arsenic an illustration of what Moscow is prepared to bash if backed into a corner.

The strikes, which saw cruise missiles destruct buildings, bridges and powerfulness stations — arsenic good arsenic termination civilians — were presented by the Russian authorities arsenic retaliation for past weekend’s blast that damaged a cardinal span to annexed Crimea.

“You astir apt noticed that was powerful, but it’s not everything,” Lukashenko said of the Russian response. “Russia, and I cognize this for sure, possesses the astir modern weapons. And you don’t request atomic weapons. Russia volition header without them.”

The Kremlin has stoked increasing atomic fears arsenic its subject retreats connected the battlefield and disquiet grows astatine home. Putin proclaimed the annexation of 4 Ukrainian regions past period and suggested helium was prepared to support that territory by immoderate means necessary. 

Russian authorities tv commentators person astatine times openly suggested Moscow usage atomic weapons to cement its grip implicit these recently claimed territories, often nodding to the ceremonial tenets of the country's atomic doctrine — that it reserves the close to usage atomic unit successful effect to nonstop attacks connected its territory. 

But the Belarusian person alternatively suggested that the atomic hostility was politically motivated by the West and Ukraine, and that Russia has nary involvement successful escalating the struggle to the level of a atomic speech — nary substance however limited.

“This would beryllium the extremity of our planet,” Lukashenko said.

“If atomic weapons are utilized adjacent by 1 country, it volition origin a concatenation reaction. Russia understands this well. And nary one, I privation to underscore this, I cognize it for definite from President Putin himself, nary 1 has acceptable a extremity of utilizing atomic weapons.”

Instead, Lukashenko said, “we request to look for ways to find a peaceful solution to this conflict. It would beryllium beneficial for everyone, including the U.S.”