Ukraine sent a stern warning to Belarus after President Alexander Lukashenko last week revived fears that his army was simply signing up for Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine.
The command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Friday issued a video appeal urging Belarus not to join Russia’s war against Ukraine, warning that it would retaliate if it did.
Belarus was used through its long-time ally, Russia, as a stage to send missiles and troops to Ukraine, however, Belarus did not participate directly in the war.
However, tensions escalated last week, with Lukashenko vowing joint deployments with Russian forces. Lukashenko announced on October 14 that he had introduced “anti-terrorist measures” in the country “in connection with escalation along the perimeter of the borders. “
Earlier this month, Lukashenko announced that there would be a joint regional force of 70,000 Belarusian troops and up to 15,000 Russians in reaction to what he described as heightened tensions on its western borders.
The appeal states that Ukraine has never threatened Belarus and that since the beginning of the war in February, the Ukrainian army has “never responded” to the fact that air, artillery and missile movements are carried out from the territory of Belarus opposed to Ukraine.
“If the Belarusian army supports Russian aggression, we will respond. We will respond as harshly as we respond to all invaders on the territory of Ukraine,” the appeal, posted on the Facebook page of the Department of Strategic Communications of the General Staff. . of the Armed Forces of Ukraine says.
“The Ukrainian Armed Forces appeal to the Belarusian people! For centuries, our peoples have been united by friendship and good-neighbourly relations, many times in our history we have fought in combination against common enemies, we have supported each other and we have lived in peace”.
The appeal states that Lukashenko “is preparing to join the Russian armed aggression against Ukraine” and “will drag the other Belarusians into a dirty war, stained with blood and death. “
It urges Belarusian citizens to “abide by the orders of their leaders to go to war against Ukraine” and pay a percentage of war crimes with Russia.
“We urge you to bury your sons, husbands, fathers, brothers who died because of the ambitions and concerns of Putin and Lukashenko wasting their power. “
Justifying “anti-terror measures” in Belarus, Lukashenko, a close friend of Putin, said Ukraine is planning an attack on the country, without presenting evidence. He said anti-terrorism measures are being taken “in accordance with the existing protocol of the union of Belarus and Russia. “
Natia Seskuria, a Russia expert and associate at London’s Royal United Services Institute, told Newsweek in the past that Lukashenko has so far tried to walk a fine line to avoid direct involvement in the war, he could be dragged down. in the conflict under pressure from Putin.
“Russian troops are increasingly fighting on the battlefield, and Putin can force Lukashenko to officially enroll in the war,” Sukuria said, explaining that Russia and Belarus are components of the Union State, a supranational body, and there is defense cooperation between them. the sides.
“This is the least favorable option for Lukashenko, but since the 2020 presidential election and the violent repression of protesters in Belarus, his political survival depends largely on Moscow’s support, so Putin is exerting great influence over him,” Seskuria added. .
Newsweek has reached out to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry for comment.
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