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Belarus: Weapons On Territory

The last SS-25 Topol ICBMs on Belarusian territory were withdrawn to Russia on 27 November 1996. All warheads for the missiles were withdrawn to Russia on 23 November 1996. For information on statements concerning the possible redeployment of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus please see the Positions on Nuclear-Weapons-Related Issues file.
["Belarus Completes the Withdrawal of the Remaining Russian Missiles," Press Release, Embassy of the Republic of Belarus to the United States of America, 27 November 1996.] {Entered JL 1/8/97}
 
ICBM DESIGNATIONS / NUMBER OF WARHEADS

NATO designation	SS-25 'Sickle' (road-mobile)
USSR-Russian designation	RS-12M 'Topol'
No. of warheads	1

 
ICBM BASES

9/90 START I MOU [1]	27 SS-25 at Lida 27 SS-25 at Mozyr
12/91 peak deployment [2]	81 SS-25 at Lida, Mozyr, and Postavy (breakdown unknown)
12/94 MOU [3]	18 SS-25 at Lida 18 SS-25 at Mozyr
1/1/96 MOU [4]	9 SS-25 at Lida 9 SS-25 at Mozyr
7/1/96 MOU [5]	7 SS-25 at Lida 9 SS-25 at Mozyr 2 non-deployed launchers at Lida
1/1/97 MOU [6]	0 at Lida 0 at Mozyr
7/31/2000 MOU [7]	0 at Lida 0 at Mozyr

Sources:
[1] September 1990 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.
[2] Leonard Spector and William Potter, Nuclear Successor States of the Soviet Union: Nuclear Weapon and Sensitive Export Status Report, A Cooperative Project of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Monterey Institute of International Studies, 1995, p. 6.
[3] December 1994 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.
[4] "Fact Sheet," US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency,  2 April 1996.
[5] START I Memorandum of Understanding, effective date 1 July 1996.
[6] 1 January 1997 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency,  released 1 April 1997.
[7] 31 July 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), US Department of State. {Updated 3/9/01 RG}
 
START-ACCOUNTABLE LAUNCHERS & WARHEADS
While all warheads and missiles were removed from Belarus in November 1996, the launchers remain START-accountable until their removal has been verified.

9/90 START I MOU [1]	54 ICBMs 54 warheads
12/91 peak deployment [2]	81 ICBMs 81 warheads
12/94 MOU [3]	36 ICBMs 36 warheads
1/1/96 MOU [4]	18 ICBMs 18 warheads
7/1/96 MOU [5]	16 ICBMs 16 warheads*
1/1/97 MOU [6]	0 ICBMs 0 warheads
7/31/2000 MOU [7]	0 ICBMs 0 warheads

* It is assumed that the warheads from the 2 missiles transferred to Russia in 1996 were also removed from Belarus.
Sources:
[1] September 1990 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.
[2] Leonard Spector and William Potter, Nuclear Successor States of the Soviet Union: Nuclear Weapon and Sensitive Export Status Report, A Cooperative Project of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Monterey Institute of International Studies, 1995, p. 6.
[3] December 1994 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.
[4] "Fact Sheet," US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, 2 October 1996, p. 1.
[5] START I Memorandum of Understanding, effective date 1 July 1996.
[6] 1 January 1997 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, 1 April 1997.
[7] 31 July 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), US Department of State. {Updated 3/9/01 RG}
 
TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS
All tactical nuclear weapons were removed from Belarus at the start of May 1992; two months ahead of the 1 July 1992 scheduled deadline.
["Status Reaffirmed," JPRS-TND-92-014, 14 May 1992, p. 18.]
 
 
Last updated 16 April 2001
 
Comments or questions? Contact Michael Jasinski at MIIS CNS: Michael.Jasinski@miis.edu

This material is produced independently for NTI by the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2002 by MIIS.

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