Alexander Lukashenko claims to have deployed numerous troops to the border between Belarus and Ukraine – because he accuses Ukraine of pursuing an “aggressive policy”.
Minsk – In response to alleged “strong troop build-up on the Ukrainian side,” Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko has stationed soldiers along the approximately 1,000-kilometer-long border with Ukraine. Lukashenko, often referred to as “Europe’s last dictator,” says he has moved about a third of the country’s entire armed forces to the border.
Lukashenko justified the troop deployment in an interview with the Russian news channel Rossiya claiming that Ukraine had stationed up to 120,000 soldiers on its border. “In view of this aggressive policy, we have stationed our military along the entire border, as would be the case in the event of war,” Lukashenko was told by the German Press Agency quoted.
Military cooperation between Russia and Belarus in the Ukraine war
Despite Belarus’ official neutrality since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Lukashenko has repeatedly expressed his support for his ally Vladimir Putin through such actions. He has also conducted joint military exercises with Russian units and allowed them to invade Ukraine from Belarusian territory in the first days of the war in February 2022.
Lukashenko and Putin, the Russian leader, have been working closely together for years. The recent move of Ukrainian troops north was triggered by Lukashenko’s decision to re-station Russian troops in Belarus.
Belarus ruler Lukashenko: Army “along the entire border” with Ukraine
The reason for this decision was the parade for Belarusian Independence Day on July 3, for which Russia would also have sent soldiers to Belarus. When Ukraine responded by moving troops, Lukashenko is said to have withdrawn “almost a third of the army” from other positions in order to also move them to the border.
In addition to regular troops, Belarus has also reportedly deployed special forces at the border. According to a report by the Russian state news agency Cup According to the report, the border between Belarus and Ukraine is so densely populated with mines that Ukrainian troops could only cross it “with great losses”. (saka with dpa)
#Lukashenko #speaks #military #entire #border #Ukraine