Lukashenko confirms the participation of Belarus in the Russian offensive on Ukraine

It argues that it is a "limited" involvement, to avoid risks to national security

MADRID, 4 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has openly confirmed that his government is indeed participating in the military offensive launched by Russia on Ukraine, after months in which he has made an effort to clarify his degree of involvement with the invasion ordered in February by his ally. Vladimir Putin.

Lukashenko met the Belarusian security leadership on Tuesday to analyze "the changing military and political situation" in the region. The president has stressed that "there is no emergency" affecting Belarus, but he has made it clear that he is on the side of Russia in what he has also described as a "special military operation".

"We participate in it. We do not hide it. But we have not killed anyone, we have not sent soldiers anywhere," argued Lukashenko, who has alluded to "limited" involvement, solely to "prevent the conflict from spreading to territory Belarusian" or to prevent a possible attack from Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, reports the BelTA agency.

According to Lukashenko, the Ukrainian troops have 15,000 troops on the border and have surveillance equipment that sometimes violates Belarusian airspace. "They are supposedly very worried about Belarus's entry into the war and at the same time continue provocations at the border," he said.

The Belarusian president has also expanded the focus to recriminate "Western politicians" for their "cynical" statements about Russia's offensive in Ukraine, which is part of efforts to counter Moscow's supposed weight on the international scene.

In this sense, he has accused the United States of trying to get rid of Russia and its allies to focus on China and, at the same time, of seeking to make the EU "greater dependence". In fact, he has predicted that "the United States will destroy the European Union."

The role played by Belarus in the Ukraine conflict has been the subject of constant debate since the very beginning of the invasion, to the extent that it served to launch attacks that, initially, even aspired to facilitate advances on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

Lukashenko has ruled out that he plans to decree a mobilization like the one announced by Putin, to reinforce the Armed Forces, but Ukrainian Intelligence suspects that he could use Russian reservists to improve his defense capacity. Specifically, he could deploy up to 20,000 troops, according to the UNIAN agency.