Belarus deploys troops to Ukrainian border: Border guards assess threat
Photo: State Border Guard Service spokesman Andriy Demchenko (mediacenter.org.ua)
The situation on the Belarusian border of Ukraine remains unchanged. Ukrainian border guards do not observe the movement of military equipment or personnel near the border strip, stated the spokesman for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Andriy Demchenko.
"There have been no unusual incidents directly at our state border. However, intelligence units are actively monitoring the situation in Belarus to be prepared for any potential changes or actions from that territory," he said.
According to him, despite the stable situation at the border, the Belarusian direction remains a threat to Ukraine. Belarus continues to be influenced by Russia, which pressures Minsk to involve Belarusian forces in Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
Demchenko noted that the Defense Forces are closely monitoring the border and the border zone with Belarus.
"We are strengthening both the borderline and the border area in terms of fortifications so that our troops can repel any attack, whether it comes from Belarusian or Russian units. Currently, Russia does not have sufficient forces in Belarus that it could use to invade Ukraine," Demchenko added.
Background
On August 10, a few days after the start of the Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region, Belarus announced the deployment of troops with Iskander and Polonez missile systems to regions bordering Ukraine. On August 11, the Belarusian Ministry of Defense showcased tanks allegedly being sent to these areas.
On August 18, the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, stated that the country had moved nearly a third of its army to the border with Ukraine, citing the presence of over 120,000 Ukrainian troops in the border areas as the reason.
The Belarussian Hajun monitoring group reported that since August 10, Belarus had deployed at least a thousand troops to the Gomel region, which borders Ukraine.
On August 25, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned Belarus against provocations, urging them to withdraw troops from the border to a distance beyond the range of Belarusian fire systems.
