Belarus has started taking the delivery of Russian tactical nuclear weapons, president Alexander Lukashenko announced, claiming that some of these were three times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Mr Lukashenko said “the bombs are three times more powerful than those (dropped on) Hiroshima and Nagasaki”, adding to his previous statement that he didn’t simply ask Mr Putin for the weapons, but "demanded" them. The Vladimir Putin ally was speaking to Russian state TV channel Rossiya-1 on a road in a forest clearing with military vehicles and a storage facility visible in the background seen around him. This will be the first such warhead deployment by Moscow, comprising shorter-range less powerful nuclear weapons that could potentially be used on the battlefield, outside of Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union. The interview was posted on the Belarusian Belta state news agency’s Telegram channel on Wednesday. This comes five days after the Russian president announced plans to start deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, even as Moscow will retain their control, after the special storage facilities to park them were ready. Mr Lukashenko further confirmed his close ally’s statement in the state television interview where he said Belarus has numerous nuclear storage facilities from the Soviet-era and has restored five or six of them. On control of nuclear weapons in Russia’s hands as a move to prevent the arsenal from being used up quickly, Mr Lukashenko played down the concern and said that Mr Putin and he could pick up the phone to each other “at any moment”. Just hours before on Tuesday, he had said that the Russian tactical nuclear weapons will be physically deployed on the Belarusian territory “in several days” and he had the facilities to host longer-range missiles too if ever needed. Mr Lukashenko further alleged that Belarus has “always been a target” for the West. "They (the West) have wanted to tear us to pieces since 2020. No one has so far fought against a nuclear country, a country that has nuclear weapons," Mr Lukashenko said, adding that the nuclear deployment will act as a deterrent against potential aggressors. Belarus has been an active participant in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine as it has consistently allowed its territory to be used by Russian forces to attack Kyiv. The first announcement of tactical nuclear weapons was made in March by Mr Putin who had blamed the US deployment of such weapons in a host of European countries over many decades. The US, however, maintained that it did not see any signs of Russia’s willingness to prepare for nuclear weapons use in the continuing invasion, as it criticised the decision of deployment by Mr Putin. Read More Putin says Russian tactical nuclear weapons to be deployed to Belarus next month The dam attack in Ukraine is a ruthless act of destruction – and shows just how desperate Putin is US, allies clash with Russia, China over North Korea's failed military spy satellite launch Watchdog: Nuclear states modernize their weapons, Chinese arsenal is growing What weapons does Russia have? Deadly arms Putin uses in Ukraine from phosphorus bombs to hypersonic missiles

Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Moscow will deploy some of its tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus next month, a move that the Belarusian opposition described as an attempt to blackmail the West

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John Cena is undoubtedly one of the most iconic WWE Superstars of all time. Following his surprise appearance at The O2 London during WWE Money in the Bank, Cena will be returning to SmackDown on Friday 1st September at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania and appearing at WWE Superstar Spectacle at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad, India, on Friday 8th September. Cena will also appear on SmackDown for seven consecutive weeks, beginning Friday 15th September through to the end of October. John Cena has proven himself to be the G.O.A.T. in a myriad of ways, from his big screen moments to his philanthropy. Here are six reasons why the WWE Universe keep wanting more: 1. His character: Cena's personality and strong connection with his audience, especially when it comes to his younger fans, cemented his status as a WWE legend long ago. His signature catchphrases - "Never Give Up and "You Can't See Me” - have transcended the WWE Universe and permeated mainstream global culture. His ability to create exciting matches, promos and voiceovers are what has made him one of the most loved WWE Superstars in history. 2. His trophy cabinet: During his expansive WWE career, Cena has become a 16-time WWE Champion - a record he currently shares with two-time WWE Hall of Famer, Ric Flair. During his time on the main WWE roster, Cena has feuded with other big-name WWE Superstars including Randy Orton, Edge, Shawn Michaels, and The Rock. 3. His good heart: Cena's philanthropic efforts, including his work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, have earned him a great deal of respect and admiration. Cena holds the current Guinness World Record for granting the most Make-a-Wish wishes in history - 650 and counting - which The Guinness World Records site hailed as a “herculean” effort. 4. His following: Almost 20 million people follow John Cena on Instagram, where his random approach to posting often leaves fans confused, but intrigued. Over on X, Cena likes to wax philosophical, with 14 million followers logging on for his daily nuggets of wisdom. “The real challenge often starts after the finish line”, Cena posted last week. 5. His acting skills: Cena's mainstream popularity extends well beyond the WWE Universe. John Cena has starred in blockbuster Hollywood movies including the "Fast & Furious" franchise, "Trainwreck," "Bumblebee" and of course, 2023’s hottest Hollywood release, “Barbie” - where he played Mermaid Ken, alongside Mermaid Barbie, Dua Lipa. 6. His gravitas: Many fellow wrestlers and industry professionals have spoken highly of Cena's professionalism, leadership, and willingness to help others succeed in the business. Click here to see Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes, Bianca Belair, Kevin Owens and The Miz share the lessons they’ve learned from the legendary John Cena. John Cena will make his triumphant return to SmackDown in Hershey, Pennsylvania this week, and in India just a week later. Tune in on TNT Sports Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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