The self-proclaimed president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko for the first time confirmed the participation of Belarus in the war in Ukraine.
He stated this on October 4 at a meeting on military security, Belta reports.
"As for our participation in the "special military operation" in Ukraine, we are participating there. We do not hide it. But we donʼt kill anyone. We are not sending our military anywhere. We do not violate our obligations. Our participation is to prevent the spread of this conflict to the territory of Belarus, at first. Secondly, to prevent an attack on Belarus under the guise of a "special military operation" by Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. As I said, no one will shoot the Russians in the back from the territory of Belarus. This is our participation," Lukashenko noted.
Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Belarus has been a bridgehead for the Russian army. It was from the territory of Belarus that on February 24, the Russian army invaded Kyiv region, warplanes took off from Belarusian airfields and missiles were launched from its territory.
- On September 29, Ukrainian military intelligence reported that Belarus was preparing to receive 20 000 mobilized troops from Russia, and the General Staff added that Belarusian military airfields and railways were being prepared to receive troops.
- On July 7, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that Belarus had handed the Zyabrovka airfield under the control of the Russians.