Lukashenko: We've prepared fighter planes to carry nuclear weapons.

According to the state-owned Belarus news agency Belta, Lukashenko said he had previously agreed to this move with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Belarus is ready to respond immediately to “serious provocation” from the West, Lukashenko warned.

If God saves any serious provocation against Belarus, our targets are closed. We know them. Relations with Belarus “should not deteriorate, because that also means worsening relations with the state of the Belarus Union and Russia having nuclear weapons”, he said.

“If they start creating problems, Belarus may be worse, but the answer will be immediate”, he added.

Belarus does not have its own nuclear weapons, but it is Russia's ally and has allowed its territory to be used for the invasion of Ukraine from Russia. /abcnews. al