Ukraine sends drones, Belarus uses tanks to the border

MOSCOW – Military Belarus Tank units have been sent to the border of Ukraine, according to the country’s Ministry of Defense.

The move came after Minsk – Moscow’s main ally in the region – said it had shot down several Ukrainian drones it said had violated its airspace.

In a statement on Sunday, the ministry said that part of its mechanized forces had been put on alert, and that preparations were underway to send tanks and other vehicles by rail to the Gomel and Mozyr Regions on the border of the Ukraine.

Officials also released a video showing several Soviet-era main battle tanks driving on the railroad platform. It is not yet clear to what extent the Belarusian border patrol has been reinforced, or when the new troops will arrive in the deployment zone.

The reset came after Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said the military had destroyed several Ukrainian drones that violated the country’s airspace in the south of the country. He said that several drones had entered Russian territory, and that the planes were shot down near Yaroslavl, about 300 km northeast of Moscow.

Amid rising tensions between Ukraine and Belarus, Lukashenko ordered an increased military presence on Ukraine’s borders.

Officials in Kiev have said the escalation is an attempt to distract Ukraine and help Russia deal with attacks in the Kursk Region, noting that they have not seen they increased military activity on the border.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus warned Kiev that it reserves the right to take any necessary measures to protect its territory if drone “provocations” continue.

The ministry also said that Minsk could consider closing the Ukrainian embassy in the country if this incident happens again.

(ahem)