Belarus deploys third of army amid Ukraine military buildup at border
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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that the Belarusian-Ukrainian border is now heavily mined, and that any attempt by Ukrainian forces to cross it would result in substantial losses.
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Ukrainian servicemen ride atop an armored personnel carrier after returning from Russia near the Russian-Ukrainian border in the Sumy region, Ukraine, on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024 (AP)
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced on Sunday that Ukraine had stationed over 120,000 troops along its border with Belarus, prompting Minsk to deploy nearly a third of its armed forces across the entire border, according to a report by the Belta state news agency.
Lukashenko did not specify the exact number of troops Belarus had deployed, but according to the 2022 Military Balance report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Belarus' professional army consists of approximately 48,000 soldiers, with an additional 12,000 state border troops.
"Seeing their aggressive policy, we have introduced there and placed in certain points—in case of war, they would be defense—our military along the entire border," Lukashenko was quoted as saying in an interview with Russian state television.
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As of now, Kiev has not responded to media requests for comment. However, Ukrainian officials stated on Saturday that they had observed no significant Belarusian troop buildup near the border.
Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, made these remarks following a significant Ukrainian incursion into Russia on August 6, where thousands of Ukrainian troops breached Russia's western border, causing considerable embarrassment for Putin's top military officials.
In a related development, Belarusian Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin warned on Friday of a high likelihood of an armed provocation from Ukraine, noting that the situation at the border "remains tense."
Lukashenko also mentioned that the Belarusian-Ukrainian border is now heavily mined, noting that any attempt by Ukrainian forces to cross it would result in substantial losses.
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Earlier this month, Belarus has accused Ukraine of violating its airspace with drones, which led to the summoning of the Ukrainian envoy to Belarus on August 10.
Belarus expressed strong protests over the drone incursions, which has further strained the already tense relations.
"Our air border was violated by [Ukraine]. After the decision to withdraw [Belarusian] Armed Forces from [the Ukrainian] border in July 2024, these actions can be seen as provocation and attempt to involve [Belarus] in the conflict," Maj. Gen. Valery Revenko told reporters.
