Belarus to host Russian nuclear weapons Vladimir Putin’s plan to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus would mark the first time since the mid-1990s that such weapons were based outside Russia PUTIN’S CLAIMS Construction of storage facility in Belarus for nuclear weapons to be complete by July Ten Belarusian warplanes already retrofitted to carry such weapons Russia to begin training Belarusian forces on Iskander-M systems in April Putin says nuclear-capable Iskander-M missile systems are already in Belarus Sukhoi Su-25: Moscow has upgraded Belarus’s Su-25s to carry nuclear weapons. Belarus says it will begin domestic production Volkel Netherlands Kleine Brogel Belgium Büchel Germany Ghedi Italy Aviano Italy Kaliningrad Nuclear weapons already stationed RUSSIA BELARUS UKRAINE Incirlik Turkey NATO members U.S. NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN EUROPE Around 100 U.S. nuclear weapons – B61-3 and B61-4 airborne gravity bombs – stored in underground vaults at six bases B61-12: Modernised version of B61 being transferred to Europe Sources: Reuters, Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Picture: Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS