Belarus dictator Lukashenko warns he will join Russia’s war ‘if so much as one soldier’ from Ukraine enters the country ‘with a gun to kill my people’
- Alexander Lukashenko made the remarks at a rare press conference with media
- Read more: Top Putin official plunges 160ft to her death from tower block
President Alexander Lukashenko has said Belarus would take military action if any Ukrainian soldiers crossed over the country’s border.
He said he would only fight with the Russians if Ukrainian soldiers entered Belarusian territory, allaying some fears that his forces would join Putin’s.
The Belarusian dictator made the comments in a rare press conference with foreign journalists in Minsk on Thursday.
But despite commitments from the veteran strongman that he would not send Belarusian soldiers to Ukraine, there have been concerns about the number of Russian forces being hosted in the country.
Minsk allowed the Kremlin to use the country as a launching pad for its military operation against Kyiv last February.
The Belarusian dictator made the comments in a rare press conference and said he would only intervene militarily if Ukraine soldiers entered his country
Ukrainian soldiers training in the United Kingdom. The Belarusian dictator said if even one solider entered the country he would fight with Russian forces
‘I’m ready to fight together with the Russians from the territory of Belarus in one case only: if so much as one soldier from (Ukraine) comes to our territory with a gun to kill my people,’ the veteran strongman said.
‘This applies to our other neighbours,’ Lukashenko said. ‘If they commit an aggression against Belarus, our response will be the most cruel. The most cruel!’
Belarus still hosts an undeclared number of Russian troops but Lukashenko has promised not to send his forces – estimated at between 60,000 and 70,000 – over the southern border to Ukraine.
Despite Lukashenko’s repeated promises, fears have been building that his troops could also intervene.
But the longtime leader said, ‘I do not plan to send my people, my soldiers (there),’ Lukashenko said.
Fears have also grown that Belarus could announce a Russian-style mobilisation.
But he did say Minsk was testing some of its mobilisation abilities and was taking into account Russian blunders in their drive.
‘It will not be tomorrow. But we need to be ready if anything,’ he said.
Lukashenko echoed the Kremlin in saying that Russia was ‘forced’ to invade Ukraine and blamed Ukraine and the West for the conflict
Putin last month said he backed plans to set up joint military training centres with Belarus, although Lukashenko said the force is defensive
Lukashenko is due to meet Putin on Friday.
He said the pair would discuss a joint regional force announced in October, that also saw several thousand Russian servicemen arrive in the ex-Soviet nation.
Lukashenko said he had asked Putin for an extra Russian division that would fall under his leadership.
‘If there will be aggression, these people would be brought into the Belarusian army.’
He gave no further details.
Putin last month said he backed plans to set up joint military training centres with Belarus. Lukashenko said the force is purely defensive.
The two countries also regularly carry out joint military exercises. It is unknown how many Russian soldiers are stationed in Belarus.
Lukashenko, in power since 1994, defended his role a year ago, when Russian troops launched their offensive on Ukraine, including from Belarusian territory.
He echoed the Kremlin in saying that Russia was ‘forced’ to do so and blamed Ukraine and the West for the conflict.
‘Don’t forget that Russia is our ally, legally, morally,’ he said.
Asked if he could somehow influence the Russian leader, he said:
‘If he believes he is right then you can’t convince him.’
Lukashenko also hit out at neighbouring Poland and Lithuania – EU members – for closing border crossings with Belarus and vowed retaliation.
‘It is an economic provocation,’ he said. ‘We are forced to respond.’
Warsaw closed the Bobrowniki border checkpoint last week, citing ‘growing tensions’ with Belarus.
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