Ukrainian officials accused Russia of trying to pull its allies into conflict on Friday, saying Belarus may be planning to invade its territory.
Ukrainian Air Force Command claimed on March 11 that border authorities had obtained detailed information on how Russian aircraft took off from a Belarusian airfield, traveled to Ukraine, and fired at the Belarusian village of Kopani.
Ukraine’s “Border Security Agency takes off Russian aircraft from Dubrovytsya airfield (Bellarus), enters Ukrainian territory, overturns densely populated areas of Horodich and Tumen, and launches air strikes in densely populated areas of Kopani (Bellarus) I received the information that I did. ” Said Air Force Command on social media. It contained a video aimed at showing part of the incident.
The claim could not be immediately confirmed by the Epoch Times. The Russian Ministry of Defense does not publicly respond to this claim.
“We are monitoring the occupation of this settlement,” HQ said, adding: The goal is to involve the Belarusian army in the war with Ukraine. “
Ina Harbakova, a spokeswoman for the Belarusian Ministry of Defense, said the Ukrainian Air Force Command made false statements.
“The Pentagon has clearly stated that information about missile strikes in Belarusian villages is nonsense,” Harbachova said. Said..
Several Belarusian media reported that no confirmation of airstrikes in Belarus was found.
Russia stationed troops and armored vehicles in Belarus in the weeks leading up to the invasion, starting from Eastern European countries. However, Belarus has not deployed its own army in active combat.
The alleged attack took place on Friday, the same day that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
“We also understand that the Belarusian government is doing everything possible to avoid participating in this war,” said Yevheniy Yenin, Deputy Interior Minister of Ukraine. Said On national TV on Friday.
This is because Russia’s main attack force was reportedly stagnant on the road north of Kyiv, failing to say that Western analysts were the first plan for a lightning attack.
However, images released by U.S. civilian satellite company Maxar show armored units moving through towns near the airport in the northwestern suburbs of Kyiv, the battlefield, since Russia landed paratroopers in the first hours of the war. Was showing.
Other elements were relocated just north of the Lubyanka settlement, with artillery howitzers in the firing position, Maxar said.
The British Ministry of Defense said Russia appears to be preparing for new offensive activities in the coming days, perhaps including an operation against Kyiv.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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Jack Phillips is the latest news reporter for The Epoch Times, based in New York.