Putin confam Russia don move first nuclear weapons go Belarus

Russia don already station a first batch of tactical nuclear weapons for Belarus, Vladimir Putin tok.

Wen e dey speak for one economic forum, e say dem go only use dem if Russia territory or state dey threatened.

Di US goment say no indication dey say di Kremlin plan to use nuclear weapons to attack Ukraine.

"We no see any indications say Russia dey prepare to use a nuclear weapon," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tok after Oga Putin comments.

Belarus na key Russian ally and serve as a launchpad for Oga Putin full-scale invasion of Ukraine for February last year.

Di tactical nuclear warheads dey less powerful dan much of di rest of Russia nuclear arsenal. Oga Putin say dem go finish di transfer by the end of di summer.

Answering questions after one speech for di St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Russia president say di move na about "containment" and to remind anyone "wey dey think of inflicting a strategic defeat on us".

Wen di forum moderator ask am about di possibility of using those weapons, e reply: "Why we go threaten di whole world? I don already tok say di use of extreme measures dey possible in case danger dey to Russian statehood."

Di Russian leader dey expected to meet African leaders for St Petersburg after dem visit Kyiv on Friday as part of a peace initiative dem dey present to both countries.

However while dem dey for di city it come under Russian missile attack.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa call for de-escalation on both sides and negotiations for peace.

"We bin come here to listen and recognise wetin di of Ukraine don go through through," e tok.

But Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky say instead of making diplomatic overtures to Russia make dem freeze am out diplomatically to send a message say di international community condemn im invasion.

Kyiv no go enter negotiations with Moscow while e still dey occupy Ukrainian territory, Oga Zelensky tok.

Oga Putin also repeat im claim say Ukraine no stand chance of succeeding in im ongoing counter-offensive.

Di Ukrainian military don dey also run out of im own military equipment and go soon only be using Western-donated equipment, e tok.

"You no fit fight for long like that," e tok, warning say any F16 US fighter jets given to Ukraine "go burn, no doubt about am".

Ukraine don previously dismiss similar remarks, asserting say dem dey make progress for recapturing territory for both eastern and southern Ukraine.

Di BBC no fit independently verify battlefield claims.

Di Russian leader also address economic themes, claiming say Western sanctions on Russia don fail to isolate am and instead don lead to expansion for im trade with "di markets of di future".

E praise new deals with countries for Asia, di Middle East and Latin America - calling dem "reliable, responsible partners".