Ukraine Calls on Belarus to Withdraw Troops from Border

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has issued a statement urging the authorities of Belarus to withdraw troops from the Gomel region near the Ukrainian border. The statement mentions that Ukrainian intelligence has received information that the armed forces of Belarus are concentrating a significant number of personnel, particularly special operations forces, as well as weapons and military equipment, such as tanks, artillery, multiple rocket launchers, air defense systems, and engineering equipment under the pretext of exercises near Ukraine's northern borders.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry also noted the presence of former Wagner private military company mercenaries.

“Conducting exercises in the border zone and near the nuclear energy facility of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant poses threats to Ukraine's national security and global security in general,” the message states.

“We call on the officials of the Republic of Belarus not to make tragic mistakes under Moscow's pressure, and we urge the armed forces of the country to cease hostile actions and withdraw troops to a distance exceeding the range of the fire systems existing near the Republic of Belarus,” the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine writes.

Kyiv also asserts that “Ukraine has never engaged and does not intend to engage in any hostile actions against the Belarusian people.”

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has warned that “in the event of a border violation by Belarus, our country will take all necessary measures to exercise the right to self-defense as guaranteed by the UN Charter.”

“At the same time, all concentrations of troops, military objects, and supply routes within Belarus will be legitimate targets for the armed forces of Ukraine,” the statement added.

On August 18, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that “nearly one-third of the army” has been deployed to the border with Ukraine. Lukashenko stated that this action was taken in response to the relocation of “more than 120,000 Ukrainian troops” to border areas.