Belarus will not call up reservists – Łukašenka

September 23, BPN. There are currently no plans for a military call-up in Belarus, said Alaksandr Łukašenka during his visit to the Chatyn memorial complex on September 23.

“There will be no call-up. We are not going to mobilize [troops]. This is a lie,” Łukašenka’s press office quoted him as saying.

He also stressed that Belarus “will definitely respond to possible threats and attempts to commit acts of terrorism.”

On February 24, Russia started a full-scale war against Ukraine. Authorities in Minsk deny Belarusian army troops’ involvement in combat operations on the Russian side. However, Belarus allowed Russian troops and weapons to move freely through the country, use its airspace, refuel and store military equipment and attack Ukraine from its territory.

A 20,000-strong grouping of Russian forces crossed into Ukraine from Belarus at the outset of the war, Łukašenka told AFP in an interview on July 21. Russian troops retreated from northern Ukraine later.

On September 21, Moscow announced a plan to call up 300,000 reservists in a bid to reverse setbacks in the war in Ukraine. Łukašenka stressed the previous day that Belarus would stick with Russia and ordered officials to check the readiness of Belarusian troops.