UN monitors Russia's plan to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus 'very carefully'

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The UN on Tuesday said it is monitoring Russia's plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus "very closely," and that any escalation is a cause for "serious concern."

Asked by Anadolu how the UN is evaluating the plan of nuclear weapons deployment in Belarus as well as Belarus' remarks that such deployment would not contradict the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Rolando Gomez, a UN spokesperson in Geneva, said: "We've seen these reports. Any escalation of nuclear weapons is a matter of serious concern."

"It is up to every member state to uphold their responsibility under the NPT - the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. We're monitoring this situation very carefully," he added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Saturday that Moscow will complete the construction of a special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said training pilots to fly a nuclear carrier aircraft and storing nuclear ammunition on the country's territory do not contradict the NPT.