Putin allies haven’t shied away from making nuclear threats since the re-invasion of Ukraine last year, and now Belarussian ‘dictator’ Lukashenko has joined the club, saying he would not hesitate to use the weapons to deter aggression against his nation.

Belarus recently became a forward staging point for Russian nuclear weapons, yet despite claims that control would remain solely with Moscow, the Belarussian President strongly implied he has some discretion, saying he would not hesitate to use them if attacked.