Escalating Kremlin's nuclear readiness. Germany and Warsaw within Iskander missiles' reach
A few days back, Germany's "Die Welt" reported that Russia may possess up to 3,500 tactical nuclear warheads. The paper cautioned, citing expert William Alberque from the British think tank IISS (International Institute for Strategic Studies), that Putin's preparedness to deploy such weapons is escalating swiftly.
Feb 8, 2024 | updated: 3:57 AM EST, March 7, 2024
Alongside this, Germany recalled a statement made by Alexander Lukashenko in December of the previous year, confirming the completion of Russian tactical nuclear weapon deployments on Belorussian territory. This suggests, as "Die Welt" accentuates that this armament is now positioned directly on NATO's border, potentially posing a significant threat to the Alliance.
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski voiced his response to the news from across the Oder during a dialogue on TOK FM radio. He expressed satisfaction that this issue is now receiving attention from the neighboring countries, who had previously dismissed it.
Sikorski stressed that Iskander missiles in the vicinity of Kaliningrad have a range that covers both Berlin and Warsaw.
This isn't the first instance where the head of the Foreign Affairs Ministry has underscored the risk of Russia utilizing nuclear arms. During his January visit to Berlin, where he met Annalena Baerbock, the head of German diplomacy, he mentioned in an interview with "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" (FAZ), "Putin has threatened Poland, Latvia, and Finland. He speaks seriously when he threatens a country. We often overlooked his threats. There are Russian tanks in Belarus, accompanied by nuclear weapons now. The nuclear weapons near Kaliningrad, the Iskander missiles, can cover Berlin. I am always baffled why this isn't a concern in Germany."
