The Belarusian Defense Ministry said on June 28 that it was beefing up security at the border with Ukraine after a series of alleged incidents.
The Belarusian border service claimed earlier in the day that border police had intercepted a drone that had crossed into the country from Ukraine in order to obtain information about Belarusian border infrastructure.
The claim followed allegations made earlier in the week that Belarusian border guards had found explosive components by the border and had received information about pro-Ukrainian Russian fighters in a nearby area.
The allegations could not be independently verified.
In response, the defense ministry said that it deployed troops and multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) to the border.
The Ukrainian Security and Defense Council's Center for Countering Disinformation said in May that it predicted the launch of a new Russian psychological operation about the opening of a new front in the north of Ukraine by the Belarusian border, aimed at "stir(ring) up mass panic" in Ukrainian society.
"We expect a series of provocative statements by the top leadership of Russia and Belarus threatening Ukraine soon," the statement said.
Belarus has been a key ally to Moscow and supported Russian aggression against Ukraine but has not committed its own troops to fight directly in Russia's war.
Russian forces launched an attempted invasion of Kyiv from Belarus in early 2022 but suffered a defeat and were forced to pull back.
Rachel Amran
The Kyiv Independent doesn’t depend on a wealthy owner or an oligarch — in 2023, 80% of our revenue was from reader contributions. It’s thanks to them that we don’t have to rely on a single owner.
Support us now and help maintain our independent model and keep our articles free for everyone. Your contributions allow us to cover journalists’ salaries, report from the front lines, and fund projects like our War Crimes Investigations Unit.
(Updated: )
