The head of the President’s Office, Kyrylo Budanov, commented on the situation regarding potential threats to Ukraine from Belarus, noting that Ukrainian intelligence agencies have already raised their level of readiness and are closely monitoring events in this direction.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Response of the Ukrainian authorities to Belarus’s actions
Budanov emphasized that intelligence agencies are responding promptly to any potential threats that may arise from Belarus. He stressed that, although certain signs of danger do exist, citizens should not worry, as no unexpected events are anticipated. The head of the President’s Office remarked:
“Anything can happen in life. But there are intelligence agencies that are clearly monitoring this. The fact that there are certain signs of threats may exist. This cannot be ruled out. This means – as a former head (of the Main Intelligence Directorate – ed.) I can tell you – vigilance must be increased, first and foremost, for the intelligence agencies. They have already done this. Don’t worry. Nothing will happen unexpectedly.”
Recall that on April 17, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on the construction of roads and the establishment of artillery positions in Belarus near the Ukrainian border. According to him, Russia is once again trying to involve Belarus in military actions against Ukraine, citing intelligence information. The president also instructed to warn the Belarusian leadership through appropriate channels about Ukraine’s readiness to defend its state. Zelensky emphasized that “the nature and consequences of recent events in Venezuela should deter the Belarusian leadership from making mistakes.”
Belarus’s position and actions of its leadership
Official Minsk has not provided any comments on the statements of the Ukrainian president. Meanwhile, on April 1, during a meeting with over 300 military personnel, Alexander Lukashenko announced the country’s preparation for war. According to Lukashenko, Belarusian military personnel must understand the importance of such measures, although the state itself is against war.
In recent months, military exercises and gatherings have been continuously held in Belarus against the backdrop of escalating relations with the West and Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, in which official Minsk supports the Kremlin. It is known that in February 2022, the invasion of Ukraine began, in part, from Belarusian territory.
Despite the fact that Belarus is officially not directly participating in the war against Ukraine, its authorities have provided their territory for the deployment and transit of Russian troops, and strikes on Ukrainian cities have repeatedly been carried out from Belarusian territory.