Advisor to the head of the office of Vladimir Zelensky, Mikhail Podolyak, accused Belarus of stepping up aggressive rhetoric. On Tuesday, February 21, reports Reuters.
Podolyak suggested that Belarus is stepping up “aggressive and militaristic rhetoric” after it said Ukraine had amassed a significant force on their common border and warned of a security threat.
The adviser to the head of the presidential office added that Ukraine does not see an immediate threat in Belarus, but stressed that the northern direction is under special control.
Earlier in the day, Assistant Minister of Defense of Belarus for International Military Cooperation, Colonel Valery Revenko, announced the presence of direct military threats on the Belarusian-Ukrainian section of the border.
On February 16, it was reported that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko declared his readiness to fight with Ukraine only in case of aggression against Minsk. He added that this applies not only to Ukraine, but also to others. Lukashenka recalled that Moscow is an ally of Minsk. The countries have a common military group, but the Russian Federation has never asked Belarus to start military operations against Ukraine, the Belarusian leader added.
On February 9, it became known about another interception by Belarusian border guards of a reconnaissance drone of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Stolin region. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was equipped with a video camera for reconnaissance. As noted in the State Border Service of the Republic, the content of the drone’s memory card confirms that the UAV was used for reconnaissance and filming technical means of border protection on the territory of Belarus.
On December 11, 2022, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus, First Deputy Minister of Defense Viktor Gulevich stressed that the border with Ukraine is of greatest concern to Minsk. According to him, the border service of the republic fixes the violation of the border between the two countries from the Ukrainian side.