Russia said in the spring that it would place "tactical nuclear weapons" in Belarus, just north of Ukraine. Now Putin has said when they'll arrive.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday 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.

Russia will start deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus after special storage facilities are made ready on July 7-8, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, Moscow's first move of such warheads outside Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union.

The United States has slammed Russia’s planned deployment of nuclear weapons to Belarus as "reckless" and said it will “continue to monitor” the move.

ZAPORIZHZHIA and KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukraine on Thursday began its long-awaited counteroffensive against Russia, officials told ABC News. Well-trained Ukrainian troops had been gathering at strategic locations near the front lines in recent days, Western officials said last week.

Vladimir Putin has announced Russia will start deploying tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus next month – Moscow’s first move of such bombs outside Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union. The Russian president said the weapons would be deployed after special storage facilities are ready in just under a month’s time.

Everything is going according to plan,” the Russian leader told Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko when discussing the planned nuclear deployment on Friday.