The first Russian soldiers of a new military force between Moscow and Minsk have arrived in Belarus, Belarusian authorities said Saturday, after announcing the creation of the force this week to protect the country’s borders from an alleged Ukrainian threat.
“The first trains of Russian soldiers forming the regional contingent have arrived in BelarusThis was stated in the press release of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus, without specifying the number of Russian soldiers stationed in that context. The ministry released images of military trains and trucks, and Russian soldiers were greeted by women in folk costumes holding bread and salt, a tradition of Slavic hospitality.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Monday accused Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine of planning attacks.terrorists“and one”rebellionin Belarus and announced the deployment of this regional military group.
Belarus insists that the force is only defensive and aims to secure its border, while Minsk accuses Kiev of preparing an attack, raising fears of its direct intervention in the conflict in Ukraine.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday accused Moscow of wanting.To draw Belarus into the warand asked the G7 for an international monitoring mission on the Ukraine-Belarus border.
Belarus, Russia’s ally in the conflict with Ukraine, has already lent its territory to the Russian army for an offensive against Ukraine, but the Belarusian army has so far not participated in fighting on Ukrainian territory. The entry of Belarusian forces into its neighboring territory would mean a new escalation of the conflict in Ukraine.
But Minsk assures that it does not plan its army, which is much smaller than Moscow’s, to fight alongside the Russians in Ukraine.We have not killed anyone (in Ukraine) and we are not planning to. No one asked us to participate in this operation“Alexander Lukashenko told the American NBC channel on Friday. “Our involvement is that we take care of Russians and Ukrainians, we feed Russians and Ukrainians, and above all, we offer asylum to refugees from Ukraine.he still assured.
Source: Le Figaro
