Opinions & Interviews

Volfovich: The presidents of Belarus and Russia have their own red buttons and nuclear briefcases

MINSK, 6 December (BelTA) – The presidents of Belarus and Russia have their own red buttons and their own nuclear briefcases. State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Aleksandr Volfovich made the relevant statement for mass media before a session of the Supreme State Council of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, BelTA has learned.

When talking about the draft Belarus-Russia treaty on security guarantees within the framework of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, which will be discussed at the session of the Supreme State Council of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, the reporters asked Aleksandr Volfovich to clarify what procedure for using nuclear weapons is stipulated by this document.

Aleksandr Volfovich said: “I am not authorized to disclose the information. Every leader of the two states has his own obligations, rights and tasks concerning the defense of their own nation and sovereignty. Aleksandr Grigoryevich Lukashenko has to defend national interests and the nation of the Republic of Belarus. He is directly responsible for it. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has the same rights and obligations concerning the defense of his own nation of the Russian Federation. And together the two leaders of our countries bear the responsibility for the fate of the Union State [of Belarus and Russia].”

“So, every president has a red button of his own?” the reporters asked for a clarification.

“Every president has his own red button, his own suitcase, his own nuclear briefcase,” the state secretary of the Security Council confirmed. In his words, it is not a joke: “Weapons, which are in Belarus’ territory, can be used only by the president of Belarus. And the weapons, which are located in Russia’s territory, can be used and can be given orders only by the president of Russia.”

Asked to clarify whether it is necessary to push the second button in order to make the first button work, Aleksandr Volfovich stated: “It will depend on what the two presidents agree on. We are brothers after all. We have common national interests regarding the Union State of Belarus and Russia, common tasks.”

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