Self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has threatened to resort to a nuclear strike if neighboring countries decide to attack his state.
Details
Lukashenko made the statement in an interview with the Russian propaganda outlet RT. He warned neighboring countries about the consequences if they take what he called aggressive actions against Belarus.
“My task is to warn my neighbors: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and possibly, to some extent, Ukraine. God forbid they commit aggression against Belarus,” he said.
At the same time, Lukashenko claimed he does not want war. Therefore, he said Belarus has no intention of fighting other countries. He also stressed that attacks from Belarusian territory against Poland or Lithuania are impossible. According to him, Belarus will not take such steps unless it is “dragged into a war” and forced to respond.
“This does not mean that tomorrow, if some kind of confrontation begins there, we will strike with nuclear weapons those countries through which or from whose territory aggression will be carried out against us. We have enough other weapons to resist this,” Lukashenko added.
However, he also threatened to involve Russia in the conflict. He said that in case of a threat to Belarus, Russia would help respond to what he described as aggression. Moreover, he referred to agreements between the two countries. According to him, Belarus and Russia would use all available means.
Belarus may open a second front
Meanwhile, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned on April 17 that Russia may try to draw Belarus into the war against Ukraine. He referred to a report by Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyy. According to intelligence data, roads are being built near the Belarusian border toward Ukrainian territory. In addition, artillery positions are being set up there.
“We believe Russia will once again try to drag Belarus into its war. I instructed relevant channels to warn the de facto leadership of Belarus about Ukraine’s readiness to defend its land and independence,” Zelenskyy said.
He also added that the nature and consequences of recent events in Venezuela should serve as a warning to Belarusian authorities. Furthermore, Zelenskyy noted that Ukrainian officials have recorded attempts by Russian forces to regroup. Most likely, the goal is to compensate for a shortage of personnel. Because of this, military activity in Belarus has increased.
Earlier, The Ukrainian Review reported that Lukashenko called U.S. policy a “real dictatorship” while also signing a decree to call up reserve officers. These statements came amid reports from Ukrainian intelligence about the expansion of military infrastructure near Ukraine’s borders.
