top executives of Belarus, Russia, a key Russian ally, has this week become increasingly tense about what it sees as provocations and warned it could soon be forced into a tough response.
Anatoly Rappo, head of the Belarusian border commission, said Poland was acting “provocatively” and that Belarus would not resist in the event of a Polish attack on the Belarusian border authorities.
“[If] With at least one bullet in our border patrol, the answer will be immediate and brutal. Rappo said.
This is the latest indication that Belarus may be laying the groundwork for potential use of force against its neighbors by justifying provocations.The threat echoed along the way Russia To do so, it staged an attack on its own forces earlier this year. claim a reason to invade Ukraine.
The warning came just as Ukrainian forces are preparing for a possible attack from Belarus. Colonel Roman Kostenko of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) said Belarus could mobilize its own forces to invade Ukraine.
“This is a threat. We cannot rule out the possibility that they will make another dash north from there,” said Kostenko, secretary of the Verkhovna Rada Commission on National Security, Defense and Intelligence of Ukraine. said in an interview. ukriform Published this week.
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Kostenko said the potential threat from Belarus has prompted Ukraine to maintain a defensive line along the Belarusian-Ukrainian shared border.
It also hosts the Ukrainian Army, National Guard and National Border Guard joint exercise Near the border.
“We know Belarus is the enemy. We know they may go to war,” he added.
Belarus has been in step with the wars in Russia and Ukraine for months. However, Lukashenko tried in several ways to keep his country out of the war.
But Lukashenko himself seems to be piggybacking on the idea that Ukraine and its neighbors are now acting out of turn. accused of being
“Ukraine conducts optical, electronic and radio technology reconnaissance of our territory, troops and installations, and its drones often violate Belarusian borders.” Lukashenko said“They are said to be very concerned about Belarus joining the war, but at the same time they continue to provoke them at the border.”
Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Vlenin also said Russia’s war in Ukraine posed a national security threat to Belarus.
“Today, we believe that NATO forces from neighboring countries can become central to creating strike groups against our closest allies, Russia and Belarus.” Krennin said Thursday.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has increased its military presence in neighboring countries close to Belarus due to a “pattern of aggressive actions against neighboring countries and the wider Atlantic community” as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. increase. Deployed by NATO As part of its efforts to deter Russia, it sent four multinational combat groups of approximately 4,500 troops to Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland.
Nevertheless, Belarus interprets its rotating presence as a provocation, consistent with Russia’s claim that NATO has long provoked Moscow.
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“Analysis of the international situation and forecasts of its development allow us to draw a number of major conclusions that prove the existence of a direct challenge to the military security of the Republic of Belarus.” Krennin said on Tuesday At the Military Security Conference with Lukashenko.
Belarus will enter the war if Russia wins, according to Ukrainian intelligence investigated by Colonel Kostenko.
But for now, Russia struggles to maintain control of the occupied territory. Last month, Ukrainian forces pushed Russia out of some territories it occupied in the northeast and south of the country.this week Ukrainian army keeps pushing To the territories that Moscow claims have been taken up by Russia through illegal annexations.
Nevertheless, Russia has plans to send troops to Belarus soon, Kostenko said.
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