Russian draftees in Belarus are source of social tension – Ukraine’s military

November 13, BPN. “Social tension has increased significantly” in Belarusian areas where the arriving Russian troops are stationed, including in the Brest region, the Ukrainian military command said in its recent operational report on November 13.

It noted that Belarusian hospitals are overcrowded with Russian servicemen who are getting sick because of unsatisfactory living conditions in tent camps. Doctors are “forced to deny treatment” to Belarusian nationals, it added.

These statements cannot be verified due to the information war, the closed nature of Belarusian authorities, and fears of ordinary people to share information. At the same time, Alaksandr Łukašenka has repeatedly confirmed that Belarusian hospitals were treating Russian soldiers.

Russian soldiers started arriving in Belarus on October 15 following Łukašenka’s announcement that Belarus and Russia would deploy a joint regional group in response to “a build-up on the Union state’s western borders.”