Ukraine asks the Belarusians not to participate in a war to which Lukashenko wants to "drag" them

MADRID, 21 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have appealed this Friday to their counterparts in Belarus and to the civilian population of that country so that they do not get involved in a "dirty war" to which their president, Alexander Lukashenko wants to "drag" them.

"The Armed Forces of Ukraine appeal to the Belarusian people!" exclaims the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a statement that begins by recalling the relationship of friendship and good neighborliness "for centuries" between the two countries. "Many times in our history we have fought against common enemies, we have always supported each other," he says.

The text continues with a warning that "Russian aggression" against Ukraine "will drag the Belarusian people into a dirty war" because of President Lukashenko, who has been accused of having mobilized its citizens to form a kind of joint command with the Russians on the border they share.

Thus, since February 24, the date on which Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of what he has called a "special operation", Belarus "has been used to launch attacks" against Ukraine, including one on kyiv, that "has not yet been answered", say the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

"We value friendship between our peoples more than responding to the criminal actions of their leader. In his speeches, Lukashenko speaks of non-existent military threats and preparation for preventive actions," they point out.

The General Staff have twice warned that "even if the Belarusian military refuse to fight against the brotherly Ukrainian people", Russia "may drag them" and that in case the Belarusian Army supports "Russian aggression", they will respond " as harshly" as the rest of the occupants".

"We call on all citizens of Belarus not to comply with their leader's orders to enter the war against Ukraine" and "urge them not to share responsibility for war crimes already committed by the Russian Army in Ukraine." ", they ask.

Ukraine urges them "not to bury" their loved ones for "the ambitions of Putin and Lukashenko" and that in case they are forced to cross the border holding a weapon, "do not use it (...) stop, lower your arms and wait for the representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (...) Nobody will shoot you," he says.