Moscow warns of a “collective response” to any attack on Russia or Belarus as allies prepare for joint military exercises.
Belarus could enter the Ukraine conflict if Kyiv decides to “invade” either Belarus or Russia, a Russian Foreign Ministry official has said.
In an interview with state media aired on Friday, Aleksey Polishchuk said upcoming Russian military exercises with Belarus should aim to prevent an escalation, but warned that Moscow’s closest ally could potentially take part in the war effort.
“From a legal point of view, the use of military force by the Kiev regime or the invasion of the territory of Belarus or Russia by the armed forces of Ukraine are sufficient grounds for a collective response,” Polishchuk told the state news agency TASS Agency.
Russia used Belarus as a stepping stone to invade Ukraine last February, dispatching thousands of forces to its neighbor under the pretense of military exercises before launching its offensive.
The two countries have since agreed to step up military cooperation and plan to hold joint aviation exercises in Belarus next week.
The drills have fueled speculation that Moscow could use its close ally to launch a fresh offensive into Ukraine from the north and open a new front in the near future.
But Ukrainian officials downplayed the prospect of an attack from Belarus over the upcoming drills.
“I would not associate these air force exercises, which will be held on the territory of Belarus, with massive rocket attacks,” Kyiv military administration chief Serhiy Popko said on Friday.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that while Ukraine should be ready on its border with Belarus, “we understand that apart from strong statements we don’t see anything powerful there.”
Belarus has supported Russia in its invasion of Ukraine but has repeatedly ruled out joining the conflict.
According to Kyiv, Russia continues to use Belarusian airspace for drone and missile attacks.
Last month, Belarus summoned Ukraine’s ambassador to the country after he said Minsk shot down a Ukrainian S-300 air defense missile in a field.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said it was investigating the incident and suggested it could have been a Russian provocation.
The missile came down as Russia fired on cities across Ukraine in one of the largest waves of attacks since the conflict began.