The Foreign Ministry in Kyiv said on Sunday that Ukrainian intelligence services had observed that Belarus “has amassed a significant number of forces in the Gomel region near the Ukrainian border under the guise of exercises.”
Kiev warned Belarus against making “tragic mistakes” under pressure from Russia. The Belarusian army must stop its “unfriendly acts”. Ukraine could fear military action by the regime in Minsk to relieve pressure on Russia, which is under pressure in the Belgorod region of its own country.
Ukraine had recently increased its attacks on Russian territory and had advanced into the Kursk region bordering Belgorod in early August. Belgorod is regularly the target of Ukrainian air and drone strikes, which are carried out in retaliation for attacks from the Russian side. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov declared a state of emergency in the region in mid-August, while the Defense Ministry in Moscow announced that it would send military reinforcements to Belgorod because of the Ukrainian army’s advance into Russian territory.
Five civilians were killed and twelve others injured, including minors, in an artillery attack on the town of Rakitnoye in the border region of Belgorod, Governor Gladkov announced on the Telegram short message service on Sunday night. The reports could not be independently verified. There was no comment from Ukraine.
Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko is a close ally and supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The EU accuses Belarus, among other things, of making its territory available as a staging area for Russian troops. Before the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, Russia had assembled large troop units on Belarusian territory near the Ukrainian border under the guise of a maneuver.
