MOSCOW (Reuters) – Belarusian Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin said on Friday there was a high probability of an armed provocation from neighbouring Ukraine and that the situation on their shared border “remains tense”, state news agency Belta reported.
Khrenin's comments came more than a week after Ukraine surprisingly sent thousands of troops across Russia's western border.
“Given the presence of Ukrainian armed formations in the border areas, there is a high probability of preparation and execution of armed provocations on our territory, as well as high-profile actions, including those involving Belarusian nationalist formations,” Khrenin said, according to Belta.
The Ukrainian military did not immediately respond to a written request for comment.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has emerged as one of Vladimir Putin's main backers since the Russian president ordered a large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, partly carried out from Belarusian territory.
Lukashenko said on Thursday that Ukraine could attack Belarus and expand the war.
Belarus said Saturday it was sending troops to reinforce its southern border with Ukraine after Kiev was accused of violating its airspace with drones. Kiev said it had seen no signs of a Belarusian buildup and made no official comment on the airspace violations allegations.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Alison Williams and Andrew Heavens)
