Ukraine Slams Russia's Deployment Of Nuclear Weapons In Belarus

Ukraine has slammed Russia's plan to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighbouring Belarus.

A top security adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that the Russian plans would destabilize Belarus.

Oleksiy Danilov, the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, called it a step toward internal destabilization of the country.

"It maximizes the level of negative perception and public rejection of Russia and Putin in Belarusian society.

"The Kremlin took Belarus as a nuclear hostage."

Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced the decision on Saturday, sending a warning to NATO over its military support for Ukraine.

Putin likened his plans to the U.S. stationing its weapons in Europe and said Russia would not be transferring control of the weapons to Belarus.