Russia and Belarus signed a deal to formalize the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear missiles on Belarusian territory, a step Moscow said was driven by rising tensions with the West.

“In the context of an extremely sharp escalation of threats on the western borders of Russia and Belarus, a decision was made to take countermeasures in the military-nuclear sphere”, - said Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.

The deployment of the missiles was first announced by President of Russia in March. Since invading Ukraine last year, Vladimir Putin has said repeatedly that Russia would be ready to use nuclear weapons if needed to defend its “territorial integrity”.