Lukashenko: Ukraine's border policy is as frenzied as that of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia

MINSK, 30 May (BelTA) – Ukraine has joined the ranks of Poland, Lithuania and Latvia in terms of frenzied border policies, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he appointed Head of the Grodno Border Group Konstantin Molostov as Chairman of the State Border Committee on 30 May, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said that Konstantin Molostov was an ordinary border guard and that fact scored points with him. Then he served as the head of a border outpost. “You have worked there for eight years, right?” the president asked.

“Eight years at the outpost in general. Five years as head of the outpost,” Konstantin Molostov said.

“The head of a border outpost is a man who knows far and beyond. But you must understand that life will not be quiet for you. We have heard Ukraine's recent rhetoric. It used to be the border where we had practically no border patrols at all. We had border guards there but we always regarded Ukrainians as our kin people. You see the position Ukraine has taken with respect to Belarus today. They are always escalating the situation. Today, Ukraine's border policy is as frenzied as that of Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. This is wrong,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The president demanded to work out new approaches to improve border troops. There is no need for a new system, just improvements to the current one. “We must prioritize mobile groups. Every detachment should have them. You should decide on ‘a strong fist' which border guard detachments or groups will be able to use in case of some emergency situations on the border or attacks on the country,” the head of state said.