Russian-marked armored vehicles flood Belarus streets, signaling possible military buildup
Illustrative photo: Belarusian military during training exercises (Getty Images)
In the Belarusian city of Gomel, armored personnel carriers (APCs) were spotted. Some were equipped with homemade anti-drone "frames" and bore unknown red tactical markings, reports the Belarusian channel BelVarta.
"APCs with red squares on city streets! Extremely alarming information came from Gomel. On August 2, APCs were seen directly on the city streets. Some were equipped with homemade anti-drone arches," the report said.
Analysts noted that the identification marks on the APCs raise concerns for several reasons:
- Red squares as identification marks have never been recorded before;
- Commanders of the combat vehicles wore red bands on their sleeves. Similar bands are used by Russian units in Ukraine.
"These signs directly indicate that Russian servicemen with new, unknown objectives may be present or active in Belarus. The appearance of such equipment, especially with homemade modifications, in a large city rather than on a training ground, is a very dangerous signal. It could indicate preparations for serious actions," the channel said.
Analysts urged Belarusians to report any sightings of similar APCs, unusual identification marks, or unusual military activity by Russian or Belarusian forces, especially in cities.
Is there a threat to Ukraine?
Unlike Belarusian analysts, the Center for Countering Disinformation of Ukraine believes there is no threat to Ukraine. Russians often use Belarus to fuel hysteria and panic.
"The enemy uses the Belarus topic exclusively for information attacks against us. Videos from that side showing equipment should not cause a reaction. There is currently no military threat from there," wrote Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation.
"Zapad-2025"
It is worth noting that the joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises "Zapad-2025," which involve troop deployments to the borders, are scheduled for mid-September. Moscow claims the maneuvers will be purely defensive and focus on responding to possible aggression against the so-called Union State.
At the same time, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, warned that under the cover of these exercises, offensive military groupings could be covertly formed. Experts also recall the start of the war, when Russian forces arriving in Belarus under the guise of "Zapad" exercises stayed in the country and later attempted to advance on Kyiv from there.
