"Entirely different kind of war": Ukrainian senior official speculates world's reaction to possible use of nuclear weapons by Russia

Danilov stated this during the telethon.

"If there are threats of using tactical nuclear weapons, it would be terrible if they actually attempt to do so. In that case, the world needs to respond in a much stronger way. The sanctions should be extremely severe to bring a quick end to this situation," stated Danilov.

However, he was unable to answer whether the Russians would have the audacity to take such a step. He did believe that if they did, the nature of the war would change significantly.

"I cannot say for certain if they will use it. But I want to emphasize again, if they decide to go down that path, it will be an entirely different kind of war. The responsibility and actions of our partners would also be completely different," Danilov firmly stated.

What is known about the nuclear weapons of Russia in Belarus

On March 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that a storage facility for Russian tactical nuclear weapons would be built in Belarus by July. Belarus' self-proclaimed president Lukashenko also mentioned that Belarus could have strategic nuclear weapons if needed.

In April, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the transfer of Iskanders, which can carry nuclear weapons, to Belarus. Towards the end of May, the Belarusian army conducted exercises involving the use of Iskander missiles.

On June 14, Lukashenko claimed that nuclear weapons from Russia started to arrive in Belarus, but clarified it would only be used if Belarus faced a direct threat.

Also, on June 16, Russian leader Vladimir Putin  announced that they had transferred some of their nuclear arsenal to Belarus, with the rest to follow by the end of the year.

Later, military analysts from the Institute for the Study of War said that Kremlin’s statements confirm Russia's military control over Belarus.

However, on June 20, the Chief of Ukrainian Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, denied the information suggesting that Russia had moved nuclear warheads to Belarus.