Russia is likely to openly send nuclear weapons to Belarus next month, an act experts have called “reckless”, as it represents a further erosion of European arms control.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Friday that he would send nuclear weapons to the neighbouring country after special storage facilities are made ready between July 7-8.
The first instance of Moscow moving such warheads outside of Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union is likely to concern Nato as well as China.
Mr Putin sees his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko as one of his few allies and is keen to bring the leader – called “Europe’s last dictator” – closer into his circle.
Dan Plesch, professor of diplomacy and strategy at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, said Russia knows it is in a weak position against conventional western weapons and is keen to demonstrate strength in other arenas.
“It is reckless,” he told The National.
“Presumably they will move some short-range nuclear weapons.
“They apparently will be short-range, ground-to-ground missiles and will be relatively easily [detectable] by Nato. You can’t hide them very effectively.”
The 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty signed by the US and the Soviet Union required both parties to agree to give up all of their nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of 500km to 5,500km.
“That treaty very effectively has limited Putin’s options in Ukraine and he doesn’t have missiles of [longer] ranges,” Mr Plesch explained.
“That’s why these are relatively short-range missiles because long-range missiles were, broadly speaking, banned under the treaty.”
Mr Putin announced in March that he had agreed to send nuclear weapons to Belarus, pointing to US deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in a host of European countries over many decades.
“Everything is going according to plan,” Mr Putin told Mr Lukashenko, according to a Kremlin transcript of the meeting. The two leaders were discussing the planned nuclear deployment over a meal at the Russian leader's summer retreat in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
“Preparation of the relevant facilities ends on July 7-8, and we will immediately begin activities related to the deployment of appropriate types of weapons on your territory.”
The Kremlin’s statement, released on Friday, is likely to ruffle feathers in Beijing, as it could be interpreted as “a pretext for the Americans sending nuclear weapons to Japan, [South] Korea” and other neighbouring countries.
“It will set alarm bells off, and quite rightly,” Mr Plesch added. “But it’s part of a broader ongoing arms race. The world is spending $2 trillion on the military every year.”
The development came a day after the UK unveiled a ban on imports of gold and other materials from Belarus, in a bid to prevent Russia from circumventing sanctions.
Moscow is keen to “tie in Lukashenko so he can’t get away [and] cut off all other options for him” to forge ties with the West, said Rasmus Nilsson, a lecturer specialising in Russian and Belarusian foreign policies at SOAS.
Speaking to The National, he outlined three main aims President Putin is likely to have in his plan.
“From Russia’s point of view right now, any sort of ally, any sort of friend is what they need. They can’t be picky,” he said.
First, Mr Putin will be keen to send a message that, while his troops fight in Ukraine, it is “business as usual” at home.
Secondly, Mr Nilsson echoed Mr Plesch’s comments about Moscow’s desire to keep Belarus from turning to the West.
“Lukashenko sometimes tries to do things on his own,” Mr Nilsson said. “He goes and talks to the Chinese, not necessarily thinking whether the Russians want him to do that or whether it will benefit them.
“Russia wants to keep him dependent on them.
“So the Russians are using this as another way of saying, ‘We’re going to put these weapons on your territory which means we will have an excuse to put even more soldiers in, if need be’.”
Thirdly, he suggested Mr Putin is desperate to change the narrative as Kyiv’s much-anticipated counter-offensive gets under way.
“The Russians are tying to make it look as if they’re actually having some success in something,” he said, referring to the bold movement of nukes to Belarus.
“It shows a disregard for European arms control, which is concerning.”
But he cautioned against adopting an alarmist view, pointing out that the Russians are already believed to have nuclear weapons stationed in Kaliningrad, the enclave sandwiched between EU and Nato members Lithuania and Poland.
“They can blow up large cities and things like that,” he said. “When you’re dealing with nuclear weapons nowadays, even at a tactical level, the explosion load can be so big that it is devastating.
“But I don’t think people should focus on some possible nuclear disaster. I don’t think that’s where we’re heading.
“The danger right now is not some nuclear attack – it is this gradual nuclear and general arms control in Europe and in the medium to long term that is a problem.”
Last September, Mr Putin warned the West he was not bluffing when he said Russia would use “all available means to protect Russia and our people”.
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Salah in numbers
€39 million: Liverpool agreed a fee, including add-ons, in the region of €39m (nearly Dh176m) to sign Salah from Roma last year. The exchange rate at the time meant that cost the Reds £34.3m - a bargain given his performances since.
13: The 25-year-old player was not a complete stranger to the Premier League when he arrived at Liverpool this summer. However, during his previous stint at Chelsea, he made just 13 Premier League appearances, seven of which were off the bench, and scored only twice.
57: It was in the 57th minute of his Liverpool bow when Salah opened his account for the Reds in the 3-3 draw with Watford back in August. The Egyptian prodded the ball over the line from close range after latching onto Roberto Firmino's attempted lob.
7: Salah's best scoring streak of the season occurred between an FA Cup tie against West Brom on January 27 and a Premier League win over Newcastle on March 3. He scored for seven games running in all competitions and struck twice against Tottenham.
3: This season Salah became the first player in Premier League history to win the player of the month award three times during a term. He was voted as the division's best player in November, February and March.
40: Salah joined Roger Hunt and Ian Rush as the only players in Liverpool's history to have scored 40 times in a single season when he headed home against Bournemouth at Anfield earlier this month.
30: The goal against Bournemouth ensured the Egyptian achieved another milestone in becoming the first African player to score 30 times across one Premier League campaign.
8: As well as his fine form in England, Salah has also scored eight times in the tournament phase of this season's Champions League. Only Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, with 15 to his credit, has found the net more often in the group stages and knockout rounds of Europe's premier club competition.
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
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It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
Ad Astra
Director: James Gray
Stars: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones
Five out of five stars
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- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
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VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
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6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (PA) Group 1 | US$75,000 (Dirt) | 2,200 metres
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8.15pm: Al Shindagha Sprint (TB) Group 3 | $200,000 (D) | 1,200m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (D) | 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,000m
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Raghida, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: AF Alareeq, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-2 Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 2,200m
Winner: Basmah, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Liwa Oasis Group 2 (PA) Dh300,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: SS Jalmod, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Trolius, Ryan Powell, Simon Crisford
