Minsk: Tanks deployed on Ukrainian border
Lukashenko claims that Ukrainian aerial objects were shot down over Belarus. Subsequently, he announces that he will send more soldiers, missiles, and missile launchers to the border region. Now, Belarus is taking a further step.
After the alleged shootdown of several Ukrainian combat drones in Belarus, the Ministry of Defense in Minsk says it is now deploying tanks to the border. The ministry published a video on the Telegram channel showing the loading of tanks onto a railway transport. The units have been put on alert to carry out orders.
Previously, strongman Alexander Lukashenko had ordered the reinforcement of troops in the Gomel and Mozyr areas in the southeast of the country to respond to possible provocations from the Ukrainian side. The spokesman for the Ukrainian border guard, Andrii Demchenko, stated in the afternoon that no additional deployment of Belarusian troops to the border had been detected so far.
Lukashenko had informed about the suspected shootdown of several Ukrainian aerial targets on Saturday. The air defense had been put on full alert because about ten aerial objects from Ukraine had entered Belarusian airspace in the east of the country in the Kostyukovichy region.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this was a "dangerous attempt to expand the current conflict zone in our region." Belarus will use its right to self-defense and will respond appropriately to any provocation or hostile actions. Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin had announced on Saturday that the deployment of ballistic missiles "Iskander" and "Polonez" missile launchers to the region had also been ordered.
Belarus supports Russia in its war against Ukraine. Even at the beginning of the war, almost two and a half years ago, the country had made its territory available to Russian troops to invade the north of Ukraine.
The following statement from the Ministry of Defense in Minsk reveals the deployment of tanks to the border in response to the alleged shootdown of Ukrainian combat drones. In line with this, Belarus has put its military units on alert, ready to execute orders should there be any further provocation.
