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Lukashenka Says Ukraine 'Planning' Attack On Belarus

By RFE/RL's Belarus Service October 10, 2022

Belarus's authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed on October 10 that Ukraine was preparing an attack on his country's territory and said that Russia and Belarus will deploy a joint military task force.

"I've said already that today Ukraine is not just discussing but planning strikes on the territory of Belarus," state news agency Belta quoted Lukashenka as saying during a meeting with security officials.

"We have agreed to deploy a regional grouping of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus," he added, without specifying where the troops would be deployed.

He said the formation of these troops started two days ago, coinciding with an explosion on a bridge linking Crimea to Russia that Moscow blamed on Ukraine.

Belarus "must have plans in advance to counter all kinds of scoundrels who are trying to drag us into a fight," Lukashenka said.

"There should be no war on the territory of Belarus," he added.

Belarus relies financially and politically on its key ally Russia.

Russian forces used Belarus as a staging post for their February 24 invasion of Ukraine, sending troops and equipment into northern Ukraine from bases inside Belarus.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-lukashenka-ukraine- attack-russia-task-force/32073335.html

Copyright (c) 2022. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.