MINSK, 24 February (BelTA) – The situation along the western and southern border of Belarus changed dramatically overnight, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at a special meeting with the military on 24 February, BelTA has learned.
“It is no secret that last night, yesterday evening, the situation along the western and southern border of Belarus changed dramatically. I am grateful to all of you: I know that none of you slept that night, we had to get ready, to think how we should act and what to say to our people. At night we scheduled this meeting,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The president pointed to NATO's intensive military buildup along the borders of Poland and the Baltic states with Belarus. According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, groups of forces are being amassed near Belarus and they are down to enter Belarus and attack Russia. A few days ago, speaking at a solemn reception in the Palace of the Republic, Aleksandr Lukashenko warned the West that he would not allow it to hit Russia in the back through Belarus. “We will not be traitors, and we will not allow you to shoot the Russian people in the back,” he emphasized again.
“Late at night, I instructed you to think of a response in case someone would lose their marbles and want to carry out this maneuver. Here is the map in front of me, it was drawn by the General Staff overnight. I mentioned it as I talked with Putin in the morning. I said: We see and understand well what is going on there. Therefore, we need to protect this border section so that we would not get hit in the back,” the president said.
The head of state noted that part of the Russian group of forces that remained in Belarus after the military drills would help, if necessary, to protect the western border. This was confirmed by the Russian leader in the conversation with Aleksandr Lukashenko: “That is what he said, verbatim: I promise you and swear to you that any attack on Belarus will mean an attack on Russia.”
A reminder, the presidents of Belarus and Russia had a telephone conversation at about 5 am on 24 February. Vladimir Putin informed Aleksandr Lukashenko about the situation on the border with Ukraine and in the Donbass.
