MOSCOW: The Kremlin on Monday said that the Belarusian military has reported that Ukraine had been moving more troops, weapons and military equipment into its northern Zhytomyr region, which shares border with Belarus, was a cause for concern.
According to the Belarusian Defence Ministry, Ukraine has been intensifying troop movements, deploying additional weapons, and increasing military equipment near the Belarusian border, actions that have raised alarms in both Minsk and Moscow.
Responding to these claims, a spokesman for Ukraine’s border guard service dismissed them as part of a Russian-backed “information operation,” asserting that Kyiv maintained forces near the border with Belarus only to prevent potential provocations.
In a press briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized the close ties between Russia and Belarus as part of a union state. He highlighted ongoing dialogue and cooperation between Moscow and Minsk, including their intelligence agencies and ministries of defence.
“The statements made by the Belarusian side are indeed a cause for concern, not only for Minsk but also for Moscow, given our status as allies and partners,” Peskov remarked.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko are scheduled to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Kazakhstan on July 3-4. Peskov said that the leaders would discuss the situation if deemed necessary during the summit.
Belarus, a staunch ally of Russia, has provided support for what Moscow describes as its special military operation in Ukraine. Last week, Belarus announced reinforcement of its border with Ukraine following a security incident and the deployment of multiple launch rocket systems to test combat readiness.
The Belarusian border guard service reported intercepting a quadrocopter on Wednesday that had illegally crossed into Belarus from Ukraine to gather intelligence on border infrastructure.
