According to Belarus, cooperation is “purely defensive”. But there are fears that troops in Ukraine may join groups already active there. The Russian army is losing more and more territory in Ukraine.
Earlier this year raid from Belarus
Furthermore, according to Lukashenko, terrorists in Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine are preparing to carry out attacks in Belarus.
Belarus is politically and financially dependent on its main ally, Russia. Lukashenko allowed Russian troops to attack Ukraine from Belarus earlier this year. For this reason, many Western countries have sanctioned Belarus, such as Russia, for the invasion of Ukraine.
Belarus also on the attack?
Belarusian journalist Hanna Liubakova previously told RTL Nieuws that she believed the collaboration was an “absolute escalation”. “Lukashenko is already offering land to launch missiles, Russia is using Belarusian infrastructure and tanks are also being provided. This new development is a sign that Lukashenko is withdrawing more and more from this war.”
But does this really mean a new front of attack in northern Ukraine? Liubakova thinks that Russia does not have the resources for this. And defense specialist Patrick Bolder of The Hague Center for Strategic Studies thinks that Lukashenko will not interfere in an offensive way in the war.
Resources and ammunition
Bolder: “He is more of a supplier than he will fight alone. Putin will get more resources and ammunition, but at most it will prolong the war. I don’t think it will really change.”
The question is: why does Lukashenko continue to help the Russians? Bolder explains that the Belarusian dictator is still in power thanks to Putin. “The Russian military helped him when there was a protest against him. So he is indebted to Putin. But Lukashenko is in a difficult position. If he rejects Putin, his own position falters. If he escalates the war, he is in a difficult position. there could be a revolt in Belarus “.
