Is the Belarusian army ready to fight against Ukraine / Collage of Channel 24
Moscow and Minsk have held joint nuclear exercises in Belarus. They involved 64,000 military personnel, and the Russians also delivered “special ammunition” for Iskander-M complexes to Belarusian territory. It cannot be ruled out that these maneuvers are a cover for new attacks on Ukraine.
Franak Vyachorka, an advisor to Belarusian opposition leader Svitlana Tikhanovskaya, suggested in an interview with Channel 24 whether the Belarusian army is ready to fight against Ukraine. Also, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky did not rule out the possibility of offensive operations in northern Ukraine.
How might Belarusians react to an order to fight?
Vyachorka noted that some of the exercises took place on Russian territory and some on Belarusian territory. However, the nuclear weapons were controlled by the Russians, not Alexander Lukashenko.
Pay attention! Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War emphasized that joint Russian-Belarusian nuclear exercises confirm the deepened integration of Russia and Belarus. In 2022, Minsk recorded changes to the Constitution, according to which Belarus lost its neutrality and nuclear-free status. This happened, probably under pressure from Moscow. The corresponding exercises, analysts believe, strengthen Belarus' position as a potential springboard for the Kremlin for possible military actions.
Russia also involves Belarusian military personnel in exercises to consolidate its control over Belarusian territory and the army.
However, the Belarusian army is not ready to fight against Ukraine. The majority of society supports Ukraine. This situation is very different from the one in Russia, where people with the “Russian world” in their minds,
– emphasized Franak Vyachorka.
At the same time, in Belarus, according to him, only 5-7% believe that the Belarusian army should join Russia's side in this war.
Is Belarus preparing an attack on Ukraine: watch the video
Therefore, if there is a corresponding order to the Belarusian army, the situation, according to the advisor to the Belarusian oppositionist Svitlana Tikhanovskaya, could turn in an unexpected way. Then Belarusians could direct their discontent against Lukashenko and Putin.
What is happening in Belarus?
The exercises of the Russian and Belarusian troops lasted from May 19 to 21. More than 64 thousand personnel took part in them. In addition, 7,800 units of weapons, military and special equipment were involved. This includes 200 missile launchers, 140 aircraft, 73 surface ships and 13 submarines.
The Russians also delivered special-purpose ammunition for the Iskander-M complexes to Belarus. They were placed in the missile brigade's field storage points, where actions were practiced within the framework of a training scenario using conventional nuclear weapons.
Volodymyr Zelensky also noted the possibility of an attack on Ukraine in the direction of Belarus – Bryansk region. The President emphasized that the Russians are developing scenarios for additional attacks on the territory of Ukraine, namely in the northern, Chernihiv-Kyiv direction. According to the Ukrainian leader, preparations are underway to strengthen defense in this direction.
Earlier, the spokesman for the State Border Service of Ukraine, Andriy Demchenko, reported that Belarus is building training grounds, artillery positions, and deploying logistics directly near the border with Ukraine. He noted that Minsk could at any time place these facilities at the disposal of the Russian army if the Kremlin decides to transfer its forces to Belarus.