Ukraine expects the United Nations Security Council to hold Russia accountable over its plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus.

“Ukraine expects effective measures to counter the Kremlin’s nuclear blackmail by the United Kingdom, China, the USA and France, in particular, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, which bear primary responsibility for preventing threats of aggression with the use of nuclear weapons,” Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday.

On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announted that the Kremlin has given Belarus the Iskander missile system, which is capable of launching missiles carrying nuclear warheads.

Minsk, a close ally to Moscow, has aided the Kremlin in its war against Kyiv, allowing Russian troops to launch their invasion of Ukraine from within its borders.

British intelligence late last week said Russia had likely redeployed at least 1,000 troops who had undergone training in southwestern Belarus.

CURRENTPH NEWS SERVICE