Łukašenka says Belarusian-Russian group of forces to fall under his control in case of aggression

February 16, BPN. Alaksandr Łukašenka told foreign journalists in Minsk on February 16 that he will be in charge of the Belarusian-Russian regional group of forces if Belarus comes under attack.

At a press conference for foreign media, he said Russian troops were in Belarus “to be ready to repel aggression against Belarus together, if necessary,” “not to attack Ukraine.”

“President [Vladimir] Putin and I have agreed that if aggression suddenly occurs against Belarus, this division is transferred to my command to fight in the joint group of Belarus and Russia,” Łukašenka’s press office quoted him as saying.

“We have it all written down so that the Americans won’t reproach us for hiding something. We clearly understand the number of tanks, IFVs, the number of people and so on. We don’t hide the fact that a large group of air force and air defense troops has been redeployed to Belarus. I have them at the airfields. It was my strictest demand: no matter how difficult it is in Ukraine, but what belongs to the joint group must be in Belarus, at least sometimes,” he added.

He went on to say that Belarusian and Russian military aircraft fly “along and across” Belarus. At the same time, the Belarusian military leadership relies on “Russian air reconnaissance, and the A-50 reconnaissance aircraft was also redeployed here.”

“You’ve seen the US spy aircraft flying along our border. They don’t come close, but they do spy. We fly in response, training our group. And so it will be,” Łukašenka said.

The joint regional group of forces has been formed since last October, amid Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Belarusian leadership supports the Kremlin in this aggression, although the Belarusian army is not involved in the fighting.