MINSK, 18 August (BelTA) – The situation evolving along western borders of the country does give reasons for concern. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement as he met with members of the Security Council of Belarus on 18 August, BelTA has learned.
The head of state noted that he had convened the conference to traditionally discuss the situation unfolding in Belarus. “Not only inside the country but outside it as well. Particularly at our borders. You remember that we've already mentioned the matter in the strategic command center. Some of our citizens described it as aggravation of the situation. They say that nothing like that is going on at the western borders of our country. But I think that yesterday's evening and particularly the night you made sure that it was not the aggravation of the situation but a precise and right reaction. We should have taken it into account before that,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stated.
The Belarusian leader explained: “Representatives of Western nations, including some heads of state, who don't even know where Belarus is and don't know what is going on here, have released statements.”
“These statements indicate that the president was right when we were discussing the matter in the Defense Ministry. Thank god, we've reacted to it and deployed combat units of our army on western borders of the country and set them to full alert. The defense minister told me that all of that had been done and the relevant units are now ready to carry out their missions,” the president said. “Let me stress it one more time: I strongly regret our having to use certain army units, particularly special operations units, to restore order inside the country. Because there is a certain part of our population. They don't fail to comprehend it. They are doing it specifically.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that as the military say, the external component forces one to take the situation into account and act accordingly.
The head of state added: “So, problems are emerging not only inside the country but also outside. We can clearly see that these are absolutely coordinated actions. But they are far from their peak. Events will unfold accordingly but we understand in what direction they will.”
