(Moscow) Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced on Tuesday that he had ordered to deploy additional forces in the south, on the border with Ukraine, on the sixth day of the Russian invasion in this country.
Posted at 5:02 p.m.
Helicopters and military planes, deployed in Gomel, Baranovichi and Lounints, currently ensure the security of this border between two former Soviet republics, declared Mr. Lukashenko, during a meeting of the Belarusian security council, according to the agency. public press Belta.
He advocated the deployment of “five battalion tactical groups to protect this direction” south, these groups usually comprising hundreds of soldiers, equipped with armored vehicles and artillery weapons.
Ally of Moscow, Mr. Lukashenko, 67, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist since 1994, however assured that his country was not going to participate in the offensive in Ukraine.
“It’s not our job,” he said.
He also advocated the deployment of additional forces on the border with Poland, in the west, to protect Belarus from a possible NATO attack.
“Under no circumstances should an invasion by NATO forces be allowed on Belarusian territory or their slightest operation on our territory,” Lukashenko stressed.
He said he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for an additional delivery of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft systems, which are already deployed in the Gomel region (south), to install them on the western border of Belarus.
Ukraine has been facing a Russian invasion since February 24. Moscow’s forces entered it from their own territory, from annexed Crimea, as well as from Belarus, where Russian soldiers had been deployed for several weeks, officially for “exercises”.
According to Minsk, no Belarusian military is taking part.
According to Kiev, Russian forces are using Belarusian territory, where a contingent had been stationed for weeks for maneuvers, in their attack on Ukraine.