Ukraine: Putin, Łukašenka to discuss Belarusian army’s entry into ground operation

December 18, BPN. The command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine believes that during Vladimir Putin’s visit to Minsk on December 19 and his meeting with Alaksandr Łukašenka, the Belarusian army’s “wider” involvement in an operation against Ukraine, “including on land,” will be discussed. That’s according to Ukraine’s joint forces commander, Lt. Gen. Serhiy Nayev, whose remarks were published on December 18.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the head of the Ukrainian president’s office, said yesterday that Putin aims to seek Łukašenka’s maximum support of the war.

Łukašenka and Putin are expected to hold talks at the Independence Palace, one-on-one as well as with officials. There are plans to discuss integration, economy, energy and security, the Belarusian strongman’s press office reported.

On October 15, the defense ministry in Minsk said that first trains carrying Russian troops as part of the joint regional group of forces arrived in Belarus. The regional group was formed to enhance Union State border security, it said. “This decision was dictated by ongoing activity in the border areas,” it added.

On February 24, Russia launched a full-scale war against the Ukrainian people. The authorities in Minsk deny that Belarusian troops participate in hostilities. At the same time, the territory of Belarus was actively used by the Russians to attack Ukraine at the outset of the invasion and in later periods.