Putin forces Lukashenko to join the war openly

ROMAN PETRENKO – SUNDAY, 9 OCTOBER 2022, 14:56

Russian President Vladimir Putin is encouraging his Belarusian counterpart Aleksandr Lukashenko to openly participate in the war against Ukraine, Defence Intelligence reports.

Source: Ukrinform, state-run news agency, citing Vadym Skibitskyi, representative of the Chief Intelligence Directorate

Quote from Skibitskyi: "We see measures that are being taken by the Russian Federation to force the leadership of Belarus to join in an open war. Meetings between Putin and Lukashenko, where this issue is discussed, are constantly being held, and Putin is trying to force Lukashenko to make this decision.

Military intelligence reports that as of October 9, there are 6 battalion tactical groups concentrated near its border. These are mechanised battalions as well as battalions of airborne troops of the so-called Command of Special Operations Forces.

How long this situation will last depends on how events develop at the front and, in general, how events develop in Russia's war against our state."

Background:

• The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reported that Belarus had summoned the Ukrainian ambassador and accused Ukraine of allegedly preparing an attack on the territory of Belarus. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine considers this a possible part of the Russian provocation plan.

• Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas connected Belarus's accusations of Ukraine's alleged preparations for attack to a change in Russia's tactics in the full-scale war.

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