Oleg Zhdanov: We cannot answer Belarus because of the global policy of double standards
For the first time since the beginning of hostilities, Ukraine was subjected to such a massive missile strike from the territory of Belarus . On June 25, the Russian occupiers launched rocket attacks on Ukraine from the territory of Belarus – 6 aircraft launched 14 cruise missiles. Even from the territory of Belarus, 20 rockets were fired at the village of Desna from planes and the ground. The Main Intelligence Directorate emphasized that this is the first case of air strikes on Ukraine from the territory of Belarus. For this, 6 Tu-22M3 aircraft were involved, which launched 14 Kh-22 cruise missiles. The launch line is the area of the city of Petrikov, not far from Mozyr, approximately 50-60 kilometers from the state border of Ukraine. According to intelligence, the bombers took off from the Shaikovka airport in the Kaluga region of Russia, entered the airspace through the Smolensk region Belarus, launched rockets and returned to Shaikovka. The Russians attacked the Kyiv, Chernigov, Sumy regions. Russia also resumed launches of Iskander missiles from the territory of Belarus. In addition, equipment that can be transferred to Ukraine will be reopened in Belarus. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Belarus is being drawn into the war more actively than at the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. “You are being drawn into the war. And even more active than it was in February and in the spring months. The Kremlin has already decided everything for you. Your lives are worth nothing to them. But you are not slaves and you are not cannon fodder, you must not die. And you have the power not to let anyone decide for you what awaits you next,” the Ukrainian president said, addressing the Belarusians. Does this mean that Belarus has already openly entered the war against Ukraine? military expert Oleg Zhdanov told KP in Ukraine about this. – Given the recent massive shelling from the territory of Belarus, can we say that Minsk has entered the war against us? – Nominally, Belarus has been at war with us since February 24. Missile and air strikes are carried out from its territory using its infrastructure. Minsk is a full-fledged participant in this war, just the only component that is not at war with us is the armed forces of this country. – Why doesn't Lukashenka use them, because Putin strongly persuades him to do so? – Because as soon as he gives the order to send troops to Ukraine, Putin will no longer need it. The fact is that in January of this year, Russia and Belarus held joint exercises “Allied Resolve”. At these exercises, the issue of general leadership and interaction between the two armies in the security system of the Union State was worked out. And if Lukashenka gives the order to attack Ukraine, his army is automatically reassigned to the Russian General Staff. And the next step for Putin is political unification, or rather, the annexation of Belarus. Naturally, Lukashenka will be against this, and he will become an obstacle for Putin. – Why does Ukraine not respond to shelling from the territory of Belarus? They shoot, but we don't. – This is due to the fact that, at the request of our Western partners, we cannot act as an aggressor country. If we start to strike at the territory of Belarus, and today we even have diplomatic relations with that country, then we will be accused of aggression, and then we may find ourselves without part of Western assistance. – That is, Minsk, shelling us, is not the aggressor, but we are the aggressor? Strange situation. – This is a global policy of double standards. Belarus has not officially declared war on us, which means it is not an aggressor. – What are they shelling us with from Belarus? – The last attacks were from airspace with air-to-ground missiles. The plane rises, flies towards our border, and from there fires missiles at Ukrainian facilities. And from the ground they began to fire at us with Iskander missiles. – Who commands the shelling, Belarusians or Russians? – The Russians are in command. They do not trust the Belarusians with such serious weapons. Putin does not want to allow a serious strengthening of the Belarusian army. – It has long been written that the Belarusian military leadership is under the control of Russian special services and that it listens to orders from Moscow more than orders from Lukashenka. Is that true? – No, it's not. There are some people there who are under the control of the FSB, but there are very few of them. By the way, now they have another purge there among the security forces, people loyal to Russia. – How big a threat is the Belarusian army for us? – This is not so much a threat as a problem for us. Because fighting on two fronts is very difficult. Now Lukashenka has 45 thousand people in the army, and these are 20-25 battalion tactical groups. If Lukashenka, as he threatened, raises the number to 80,000, then the number of such groups will double. It is very difficult to talk about the combat readiness of the Belarusian army now, it has no experience, since it has never taken part in real hostilities. – And yet, what is the probability of an attack by the Belarusian army? strong> – There is such a possibility, because it is very easy to create a casus belli now. For example, the Russians will blow up the same oil refinery in Mozyr that the Ukrainians allegedly did. And the Russians will kill two birds with one stone. Firstly – will provoke Lukashenka into a direct war with Ukraine, and secondly – will make Minsk even more dependent from Russian oil products.
The Kremlin nevertheless decided to drag Lukashenka into the war
We cannot shell Belarus
It is easy to find a reason for war with Ukraine
