MOSCOW: Russia warned the West and Ukraine on Friday (Sep 20) of “disastrous consequences” if Kyiv moved against close Russian ally Belarus, making clear it would intervene to defend a country where it has deployed tactical nuclear weapons.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters that Moscow was concerned by what she called increasingly “provocative” activity on the border with Belarus, saying she did not rule out that there could be attempts to escalate in the region.
Days after Ukraine’s surprise Aug 6 incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko – a loyal ally of President Vladimir Putin – suggested, without providing evidence, that Kyiv may have ideas about attacking Belarus.
Minsk, which has accused Ukrainian drones of violating its airspace, later announced it was sending extra troops to its border with Ukraine, though Kyiv said it had seen no major changes in the border area.
“We take due note of the information received about the intensification of the activities of Ukrainian forces in the border zone,” said Zakharova.
“We see these facts ourselves and are aware of constant attempts from the Ukrainian side to use drones and to send terrorists into the republic,” she added.
