MINSK, Jan. 28 -- Belarus is strengthening its strategic deterrence, including deployment of the Oreshnik operational-tactical missile complex and tactical nuclear weapons on its territory, to counter growing North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military activity, a senior official said Wednesday.

State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Alexander Volfovich made the remarks after reporting to President Alexander Lukashenko on the results of a surprise inspection of the country's armed forces.

Volfovich said Western neighbors have significantly increased defense spending, expanded armed forces, and intensified large-scale military exercises near Belarusian territory.

He described these moves as part of a broader Western strategy to justify military expansion by portraying an alleged threat from the east.

In response, Belarus has prioritized the retention and potential deployment of non-strategic nuclear weapons and precision strike systems on its soil, aiming to prevent aggression through credible deterrence, Volfovich said.

Belarus frames its actions not as escalation, but as a necessary response to an increasingly hostile security environment, he added.