“The first convoys of Russian servicemen from the regional force group have arrived in Belarus,” the ministry stated, including that their mission was “exclusively to strengthen the protection and defence of the border”.
Images from the ministry confirmed soldiers welcomed by ladies sporting conventional costumes and handing out bread and salt.
Last Monday the chief of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko claimed Ukraine was plotting to assault his nation and introduced a joint drive with Moscow.
Lukashenko accused Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine of coaching Belarusian radicals “to carry out sabotage, terrorist attacks and to organise a military mutiny in the country”.
The deployment raised fears that Belarusian troops may be a part of Russian forces in their offensive in Ukraine.
On Friday Lukashenko informed Russian journalists the Belarusian military and its 70,000 folks would represent the “base” of this joint drive.
The Belarusian chief didn’t specify what number of Russian soldiers have been anticipated to hitch, however stated “we do not need to ask for 10,000-15,000 people from Russia. They have other issues over there, as you know”.
Minsk stated Tuesday that the contingent was “purely defensive”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of “trying to directly draw Belarus into this war” at a G7 assembly final Tuesday.
Zelensky referred to as for a world observers mission to be positioned on the Ukraine-Belarus border.
In an interview to NBC launched Friday evening, Lukashenko stated his nation supported Russia however “we did not kill anyone and we are not going to kill anyone.”
“No one asked us to get involved in this operation, not Russia in this case, and we do not intend to get involved,” Lukashenko stated.
Lukashenko stated his nation was “treating Russians and Ukrainians, feeding Russians and Ukrainians” and welcoming Ukrainian refugees.
Lukashenko is an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and allowed Belarusian territory for use by Moscow’s troops to launch a navy operation towards Kyiv in February.
But Belarusian armed forces have thus far not taken half in the offensive.
Belarus depends financially and politically on its key ally Russia.
