Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed that Ukraine has stationed over 120,000 troops at the Belarus-Ukraine border, prompting Minsk to deploy nearly a third of its armed forces along the entire border, Reuters reports.
Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, made these statements amid heightened tensions following a Ukrainian incursion into Russia on August 6. In an interview with Russian state television, Lukashenko cited Ukraine’s “aggressive policy” as the reason for Belarus’s military deployment. Lukashenko added that the border is heavily mined, and any Ukrainian attempt to cross would result in significant losses.
Ukrainian border service spokesperson Andriy Demchenko countered, stating that the situation at the border remains unchanged and accused Lukashenko of escalating tensions to appease Russia.
