Belarus reinforces military near Ukraine amid airspace violation claims
In response to allegations of Ukrainian drones allegedly violating Belarusian airspace, Belarus has decided to reinforce its military grouping on the Gomel and Mozyr tactical fronts. Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin disclosed that President Alexander Lukashenko directed the relocation of special operations units, ground forces, and missile troops to these regions, including Polonez rocket systems and Iskander complexes.
Responding to these developments, Andrey Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), labeled this move as an attempt to aid Russian President Vladimir Putin. He suggested that Lukashenko's actions are a distraction to divert the focus of Ukrainian command toward an ostensibly new threat.
"However, I believe that Lukashenko is well aware of the potential implications of any provocations," Kovalenko added.
According to analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian military leadership is attempting to repulse a Ukrainian counteroffensive in the Kursk region without redeploying forces from eastern Ukraine. The analysts speculate that the Russian forces might sacrifice units earmarked for offensive operations in northern Kharkiv as a strategic measure.