These new security features and other upgrades at a military supplies warehouse in central Belarus reveal that Russia is building a facility there that could house nuclear warheads. If Russia moves weapons to this location, it will be the first time Russia has stored weapons outside the country since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Russia already has nuclear warheads on its own territory close to Ukraine and NATO countries, but by deploying some in Belarus, the Kremlin appears to be seeking to highlight the nuclear threat and strengthen nuclear deterrence.
Russian President Vladimir V. Putin mentioned these sites early last year, saying Russia would soon complete construction of a “special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons” in Belarus.
The New York Times analyzed satellite images and photos and spoke with nuclear weapons and arms control experts to track the new construction, which began in March 2023.
The site is located at a military base next to the town of Asipovichy, 120 miles north of the Ukrainian border. Some of the recently built structures have features unique to nuclear storage facilities at bases inside Russia. For example, the new highly secure area is surrounded by three layers of fencing in addition to the existing security perimeter throughout the base. Another notable sign is a covered loading area connected to what appears to be a hidden Soviet-era underground bunker.
Hans Kristensen of the Federation of American Scientists, who analyzed the scene, said Belarus’ nuclear development “seems designed to destabilize NATO’s easternmost members, but it is unlikely to give Russia any new, significant military advantages in the region.”
Unlike long-range strategic weapons, there is no agreed-upon definition of tactical nuclear weapons. However, Russia defines tactical weapons as having a range of 300 km, or about 186 miles. Because the nuclear program is so secret, it is possible that there are other locations in Belarus where Russia is storing warheads. And the Kremlin may have moved some to Asipovich’s place. The Russian and Belarusian defense ministries did not respond to requests for comment.
Nuclear warheads are typically stored near military bases where the weapons could be delivered. The suspected nuclear storage site is in a city that is home to Belarus’ Iskander missiles, which could be used to launch nuclear or conventional warheads. Russia extradited Iskander to Belarus in 2022.
Last week, Russia and Belarus issued statements about nuclear weapons exercises. On Monday, the Kremlin said it would conduct military exercises with troops near Ukraine to train them on the possible use of tactical nuclear weapons. On Tuesday, Belarus’s defense minister told state media that an investigation had begun into the Iskander military and other nuclear weapons delivery systems.
Russia’s remarks immediately drew criticism from the United States and NATO for “irresponsible investigation.”
“We are reviving Cold War practices. So we are reviving the Cold War risk.” said Jeffrey Lewis, an arms control expert at the Middlebury Institute for International Studies in Monterey, California.
In 2023, the covered areas were reorganized, including the truck loading dock, which now has a new roof, as a new fence was installed to create a higher security area at the Asipovichy base, protecting all activities from surveillance from above. These modifications are consistent with structures seen at other former Soviet nuclear storage sites. As you can see below, the matching dock in Hungary features the internal entrance of an old underground bunker covered in wood.
William Moon, an independent consultant and former official at the Pentagon’s Defense Threat Reduction Agency, told the Times that Asipovich’s upgrade design, with its triple fence, one main entrance and one emergency exit, resembles Russian nuclear warhead silos he has seen. said. Personally. “When we work to their standards, they will demand a three-story fence,” said Moon, who has worked with Russia on nuclear warhead security.
He said that in addition to increased security, he also expected separate accommodation for the Russian military unit that controls the nuclear warheads. Three new buildings, possibly administrative or barracks, have been erected in the base entrance area and additional areas are currently being bulldozed.
At the entrance to the triple-fenced area, a security checkpoint was added in 2023, a covered screening area next to the guardhouse. According to Michael Duitsman, these types of structures have become a fixture of Russia’s internal nuclear facilities over the past two decades. , of the Middlebury Institute, Mr. Lewis’ colleague. they “Unique features not found in other Russian bases“He said.
Construction began on what is believed to be a new building in recent weeks. “Details are still unclear, but construction has clearly entered a new phase,” Mr. Kristensen said.
An air defense system was also introduced to protect the site. The spacecraft was first spotted in camouflage in mid-2023, including in radar satellite images provided by space company Umbra. Since September, one of the air defense vehicles has been stationed in the field about a mile from the bunker.
Asipovichy is part of nuclear history. The same site that Russia is building on today was likely used to store nuclear weapons during the Cold War. According to William Alberk, director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) think tank and former U.S. Department of Defense and NATO official, the Soviet Union began deploying nuclear missile brigades in and around cities in the 1960s. He also said that a military unit that manages nuclear weapons has been placed in an artillery shell storage facility. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, all nuclear weapons were removed from Belarus.
Declassified U.S. intelligence satellite photos of the Asipovichy site taken during the Cold War appear to show both of these features. The southern section was thought to be a storage area for conventional weapons, with open space and many storage buildings. A separate, tree-covered northern section shows four bunkers, and further north is a walled complex, which is the exact spot from which construction can be seen.
The 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty prohibits the transfer of nuclear weapons to non-nuclear states, but does not prohibit them from being stored abroad if the state that owns them maintains control. Under NATO’s nuclear sharing agreement, the United States currently has nuclear weapons in some member countries.
A State Department spokeswoman would not say whether the United States was monitoring specific locations in Belarus, but said it was “monitoring the situation closely to ensure that Russia can maintain control of its weapons in the event of any military operations against Belarus.” Belarus complies with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.” The United States will not change its nuclear posture in response to developments in Belarus, according to an April 2024 State Department report.
Julian E. Barnes contributed to the report. Phil Robibero, Black Miliochi, David Botti and Alexander Cardia Contributed to video production.
