Belarus accuses Ukraine of border provocations

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has accused neighbouring Ukraine of deploying 15,000 troops to near the two countries’ shared border to build defences and conduct reconnaissance, actions that he called “provocations”.

In comments carried by Belarus’s state news agency, Belta, Lukashenko said the Ukrainian unit brought up to the border had blocked roads and was setting up checkpoints and firing positions.

He added the troops were “constantly conducting optical, radio-electronic and radio-technical reconnaissance of our territory, troops and objects”.

“Often with their drones violating the line of the state border. And at the same time, they worry and worry: ‘Oh, don’t let Belarus enter the war’. And there are constant provocations at the border,” Lukashenko said. There was no immediate response to his claims from Kyiv.

Russia is Belarus’s main backer and the two neighbours are part of a borderless so-called “union state”. Moscow deployed forces, missiles and aircraft to Belarusian territory under the pretext of military drills prior to launching its invasion and then funnelled troops into Ukraine when it began the offensive on February 24.