Putin signs security treaty with Belarus including possible use of nuclear weapons

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a treaty offering security guarantees to Belarus, including the possible use of Russian nuclear weapons to help repel any aggression.

The signing of the document during Putin's visit to Minsk follows the publication of a revised version of Russia's nuclear doctrine which for the first time placed Belarus under the Russian nuclear umbrella amid the tensions between Moscow and the West over the war in Ukraine.

Speaking alongside Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko, Putin said the new document includes the potential use of Russian tactical nuclear weapons deployed to Belarus in response to an aggression.

"I'm sure that the treaty will ensure the security of Russia and Belarus," Putin said in televised remarks.

After the two leaders signed the security pact, Lukashenko asked Putin to deploy more advanced weapons in Belarus, including the new 'Oreshnik' intermediate-range ballistic missile that Russia used for the first time last month in Ukraine.

"I would like to publicly ask you to deploy new weapons systems, primarily 'Oreshnik', to Belarus," Lukashenko said.

"It will help calm some heads."

Putin responded that Oreshnik missiles could be deployed to Belarus in the second half of next year, adding that they will remain under Russian control but Moscow will allow Belarus to select the targets.

The Russian president has described the 21 November strike on Ukraine with the 'Oreshnik' as a response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian military facilities in the Bryansk and Kursk regions with Western-supplied weapons.

He has warned that Russia could use the new missile to strike military facilities of Kyiv's Western allies that allow Ukraine to use their weapons for attacks on Russian territory.