Lukashenko says Russian nuclear shift was overdue, may prompt West to cool down

PARIS: Changes announced by Russia to its nuclear weapons policy were long overdue and will probably “cool the ardour” of its Western enemies, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview released on Sunday.

Lukashenko, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, said “hotheads” in the West had already heard the nuclear signals being sent by Moscow even before the Kremlin leader announced the changes last month.

Putin said on Sept 25 that Russia was extending the list of scenarios that could prompt it to consider launching a nuclear weapon, including if it had reliable information about a massive cross-border attack against it involving aircraft, missiles or drones.

He said Moscow would consider any assault on it supported by a nuclear power to be a joint attack.