Belarusian President Alexandre Lukashenko said on Saturday that his army had intercepted missiles launched from Ukraine, amid growing rumors about his country’s growing involvement, a Russian ally, in the Ukraine war.
“They provoke us. I must say that about three days ago, maybe more, they tried to bomb military targets in Belarus from Ukraine. Thank God, our Pantsir anti-aircraft systems intercepted all the missiles fired by the Ukrainian forces,” Lukashenko was quoted as saying. the Belarusian state agency Belta.
“I repeat, as I have said more than a year ago: we do not intend to fight in Ukraine,” he said.
Since the start of the offensive against Ukraine on February 24, Belarus has served as a rear base for Russian forces.
In the first days, the Russian columns that tried to advance towards kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, started from Belarus, but met with unexpected resistance that forced them to withdraw.
Lukashenko’s government faces harsh international sanctions and is highly dependent on Russia militarily and economically.
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his country will deliver to Belarus “in the coming months” Iskander-M missiles, capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
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