KAZAN, 23 October (BelTA) – I support Russia but I am committed to the interests of Belarusian people, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said in an interview with BBC journalist Steven Rosenberg on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Russia's Kazan, BelTA has learned.
During the interview, Aleksandr Lukashenko said that Belarus did not provide Russia its territory to enter Ukraine.
"We had exercises involving several thousand Russian troops. These troops were mainly from the Eastern District, and Putin began to withdraw these troops from Belarus. They were in the south and they were withdrawing along this road, past the border with Ukraine. At some point (being provoked, I am convinced of this) Putin turned some of them towards Kiev. Why did this happen? Ask Zelensky," the president said while recalling the February 2022 events.
“Russia is our ally. We have closer relations than those between the UK and the USA. Ukraine has behaved hostile towards Belarus by imposing sanctions against us earlier than the UK did it. They banned our civil flights from entering its airspace. It seized our trains with mineral fertilizers. It arrested 75 heavy-duty trucks together with drivers. They acted like bandits. I had to conduct a special operation to free the people they arrested. They killed and dismembered five people so that we could not understand how they died. You are telling me that I was supposed to be friends with Zelensky at that time? Russia is our ally. I have always supported it and will continue to support Russia for as long as it takes. Just as you say that you will support Ukraine,” the head of state said.
“I am minimally involved in this conflict. I can even say that I am not involved in it at all. Belarus has closer relations with Russia than Ukraine with the USA that is pouring money and arms there,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
“Does this mean that any decision of the Russian president...” the journalist was about to ask his question.
During the interview, Aleksandr Lukashenko said that Belarus did not provide Russia its territory to enter Ukraine.
"We had exercises involving several thousand Russian troops. These troops were mainly from the Eastern District, and Putin began to withdraw these troops from Belarus. They were in the south and they were withdrawing along this road, past the border with Ukraine. At some point (being provoked, I am convinced of this) Putin turned some of them towards Kiev. Why did this happen? Ask Zelensky," the president said while recalling the February 2022 events.
When asked why Belarus did not support Ukraine at that moment, Lukashenko answered as follows.
“Russia is our ally. We have closer relations than those between the UK and the USA. Ukraine has behaved hostile towards Belarus by imposing sanctions against us earlier than the UK did it. They banned our civil flights from entering its airspace. It seized our trains with mineral fertilizers. It arrested 75 heavy-duty trucks together with drivers. They acted like bandits. I had to conduct a special operation to free the people they arrested. They killed and dismembered five people so that we could not understand how they died. You are telling me that I was supposed to be friends with Zelensky at that time? Russia is our ally. I have always supported it and will continue to support Russia for as long as it takes. Just as you say that you will support Ukraine,” the head of state said.
“I am minimally involved in this conflict. I can even say that I am not involved in it at all. Belarus has closer relations with Russia than Ukraine with the USA that is pouring money and arms there,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
“Does this mean that any decision of the Russian president...” the journalist was about to ask his question.
“It does not. The Russian president defends the interests of the Russian people. I am the president of Belarus today, and I will defend the interests of the Belarusian people. They are absolutely similar to the Russian ones. As long as they coincide, Putin and I will act hand in hand,” the head of state said.
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