Ukraine warns Belarus planning ‘direct invasion’ to assist Putin’s forces

Ukrainian officers warned on Sunday that the Belarusian navy was making ready to invade on the onset of the fifth week since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces first descended on Ukraine final month.    

In an announcement shared to Fb, Ukraine’s Ministry of Protection mentioned there have been indicators that prompt the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus had been making ready for a “direct invasion” of Ukrainian territory. 

Belarus borders Ukraine to the north and was reportedly used as a staging space for Russian forces. 

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Ukraine’s Ministry of Protection issued a stern warning for Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

“The direct involvement of Belarusian troops within the Russian armed aggression in opposition to Ukraine, opposite to the desire of the navy and the overwhelming majority of the Belarusian individuals, will turn out to be a deadly mistake of Alexander Lukashenko,” the assertion mentioned of Putin’s shut ally. 

The Basic Workers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine assessed that the menace stage was excessive for “an offensive from the Republic of Belarus within the Volyn path,” in line with Ukrainian on-line newspaper Pravda. 

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a gathering with navy prime officers in Minsk, Belarus, Monday, Jan.17, 2022. Alexander Lukashenko permitted the concept of a joint operational train of the armed forces of Belarus and Russia known as “Allied Resolve 2022”. 
(Sergei Sheleg/BelTA Pool Picture by way of AP)

This comes after Lukashenko just lately bemoaned the autumn of the Soviet Union and blamed conflicts in Ukraine and elsewhere on the “monopolization of our planet by america of America,” in line with Reuters. In an interview on Japanese tv channel TBS, Lukashenko additionally described Putin as a pal and defended him in opposition to Western leaders questioning his psychological and bodily health. 

“He and I have not solely met as heads of state, we’re on pleasant phrases,” Lukashenko mentioned of Putin. “I am completely aware of all his particulars, so far as doable, each state and private.”

“Putin is totally match, he is in higher form than ever,” he continued. “This can be a utterly sane, wholesome individual, bodily wholesome – he is an athlete. As they are saying right here – he’ll catch a chilly in any respect our funerals.”

In a break from isolation in current weeks, Putin on Friday held a pro-war rally in Moscow marking the eighth anniversary of Moscow’s annexation of Crimea. The occasions got here because the invasion of Ukraine has led to heavier-than-expected Russian losses on the battlefield and more and more authoritarian rule in Russia. 

Amid studies of low-morale among the many Russian ranks, Ukrainian protection officers claimed Sunday to have obtained paperwork that point out Russia has ordered the deployment of younger cadets to Ukraine.

Putin has repeatedly advised his people who the military just isn’t using cadets, however pictures of the paperwork posted on-line point out that Protection Minister Sergei Shoigu has signed an order on the contrary. The deployment will see Yunarmia cadets aged 17 and 18 pushed to the entrance strains in Ukraine.

Fox Information’ Peter Aitken and The Related Press contributed to this report.