Lukashenko: Those who violate Belarus’ border should be destroyed

Possible border provocations on the part of the neighboring states should be met with tough response, Lukashenko said

Possible border provocations on the part of the neighboring states should be met with tough response, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he was inspecting a location in Oshmyany District, Grodno Oblast, where the combat readiness check was underway, BelTA has learned. “I will say this publicly: any provocation must be suppressed by force of arms. No joking around. Those who violate the state border should be destroyed. Don’t treat them with kid gloves. That’s how we will do it,” said the head of state. “Therefore, those who violate the state border should be destroyed. They understand only force,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. Commander of the Northwestern Operational Command Aleksandr Naumenko reported that at present the situation in the area across Belarus’ northwestern border remains difficult and tensions are likely to escalate. A testimony to that is the construction of engineering structures, including anti-tank ditches and firing positions, across Belarus’ border. Material supplies and ammunition are being amassed in warehouses. The neighboring side has beefed up border security across Belarus’ northwestern border. The total number of troops involved in protecting their border with Belarus approximates 3,200, including up to 2,800 in Lithuania and up to 500 in Latvia. Military contingents of NATO states that were deployed in the area to perform various tasks include up to 7,700 people in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Military units of NATO's joint and combined armed forces, including in the Baltic countries and Poland, are engaged in operational and combat training. Aleksandr Naumenko noted that the Quadriga 2024 exercise is currently underway in a number of countries, including Lithuania and Poland. As part of the ongoing exercise, three battalions (German infantry and mechanized battalions and a US tank battalion) are deployed at the Pabradė Training Area, which is 15 km from the state border). The battalions stationed at the Pabradė Training Area may be used to carry out provocative actions near the border using sabotage and reconnaissance groups and illegal armed formations. Aerial reconnaissance of Belarus is also conducted extensively. An average of 4-5 reconnaissance aircraft sorties are recorded every day. Currently, 132 combat aircraft from the NATO air force group are based in the area adjoining Belarus’ northwestern border. “Do they seriously think that we and the Russians are harboring plans to attack them? Why would they be digging anti-tank ditches... We’re not going to go there,” the head of state noted. In this regard, Aleksandr Naumenko remarked that any preparation for war and war itself certainly benefit someone economically. “We should not lower our guard. We know for sure that if we drop our guard, they will attack us. Have no doubt about it. But we are not going to go there,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.