The Belarusian president has said that any violation of the country’s border would cross a “red line” and be followed by an instant response | A NATO attack on Belarus would trigger a world war and prompt Minsk to deploy nuclear weapons in response, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warned during a meeting with university students on Friday. ● Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed amendments to the country’s nuclear doctrine. Under the changes, a nuclear response could be triggered if either Russia or Belarus becomes the target of aggression using conventional weapons by a non-nuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state. “As soon as they attack us, we use nuclear weapons. And Russia gets involved for us,” Lukashenko said, also recalling that he had already said that any attack on Belarus would trigger a third world war.

■ Nuclear arms to be used as soon as NATO attacks Belarus, Lukashenko says (TASS)

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has decried President Vladimir Putin’s comments as “irresponsible” | President Vladimir Putin’s warning that Russia plans to update its national nuclear doctrine is “irresponsible,” according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. ● On Wednesday, Putin suggested that under a revised version of Russia’s nuclear doctrine, any aggression against the country by a non-nuclear state with the participation or support of a nuclear state could be considered a “joint attack” and cross the nuclear threshold. The proposed change implies that the new rules could apply to a Ukrainian strike deep inside Russia with advanced weapons supplied by the US, Britain or France.

💬 “It’s totally irresponsible,” Blinken said in an interview with MSNBC on Thursday, accusing Putin of “rattling the nuclear saber.” He also suggested that the Russian President’s comments were poorly timed, as world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly this week, and called on the international community to discuss “the need for more disarmament, non-proliferation.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, meanwhile, has explained that Putin’s proposal to update the nuclear doctrine is intended to serve as a warning to Western states about supporting increased Ukrainian aggression against Russia or its key ally, Belarus. ● “This is a signal warning to these nations of the consequences of their participation in an attack on our country by various means, including non-nuclear ones,” Peskov said, adding that he was sure that all reasonable leaders and analysts have understood the gravity of Putin’s announcement.

■ Putin Explicitly Confirmed What Was Already Self-Evident About Russia’s Nuclear Doctrine (Andrew Korybko)

It appears that Russia found the west-supplied F-16 fighter jets. FIVE are now reported destroyed. | At least 4 Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missiles have been launched over the past couple of hours. All of them struck the Ukrainian city of Starokostyantyniv in Khmelnytskyi Oblast. It is now apparent those missiles hit the airfield there. In one case, the sirens sounded after explosions were reported, indicating a degradation in the Ukrainian radar system, which could not provide early warning. According to a social media post from the wife of a Western-supplied Military "Advisor" who was apparently KILLED in the missile strikes, there were F-16 fighter jets at the airfield that was hit, and they are all destroyed.

■ Russian Air Force Vet on Ukrainian F-16's Weak Spot: There's No Place Jets Can Hide From Kinzhals (Sputnik News)

According to Finnish TV channel MTV, this proposal has already been approved. | The Finnish Defense Ministry proposed on Friday to place the headquarters of the NATO ground forces in city of Mikkeli near the border with Russia. "Finland's defence administration proposes Mikkeli, the town where the Finnish Army Command is based, as the location for NATO's Multi Corps Land Component Command (MCLCC)," the statement read. ● Finland joined NATO on April 4, 2023, along with Sweden. In an interview with Dmitry Kiselev, Vladimir Putin stated that the accession of these countries to the alliance was a pointless step in terms of their national interests, as Russian troops and strike systems would now appear near their borders. Russia has repeatedly pointed out NATO's unprecedented activity near its western borders in recent years. The alliance claims it is expanding initiatives as part of "deterring Russian aggression." ● Moscow has frequently expressed concern over the buildup of NATO forces in Europe. The Kremlin has noted that Russia does not pose a threat to anyone but will not ignore actions that could potentially endanger its interests.