Russia concerned over calls to move U.S. nuclear bombs in Europe closer to Russia, Belarus: spokesperson

MOSCOW, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Russia is concerned about the recent calls to move U.S. nuclear bombs in Europe closer to the borders of Russia and Belarus, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday.

"These calls ... cause concern against the backdrop of the destructive practice of Washington, which places its nuclear weapons outside its territory, including in countries that are non-nuclear under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons," Zakharova said in a statement published on the ministry's website.

Accusing Washington of trying to mask its irresponsible behavior in the field of nuclear weapons by blaming Russia and Belarus, Zakharova said that Russia and Belarus were developing their cooperation in the military nuclear sphere in accordance with international law and their national interests.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday in a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko that Russia will deploy certain types of weapons in Belarus after July 8.

The construction of a special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory would be completed in July, said Putin.

It is estimated that the United States keeps around 100 tactical nuclear warheads at six bases in five NATO countries -- Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Türkiye, according to a report by the TASS news agency.