Conflicts & War

Ukraine says Russia amasses missiles in Belarus

Kyiv, Apr 1 (EFE).- The Ukrainian defense ministry Friday alleged that Belarus had allowed Russia to accumulate missile systems on its soil for a planned attack from that side of the border.

Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said the Russian forces were encroaching on the Kharkiv region and had not abandoned their plan to capture Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

She referred to the self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine that Russia recognized as independent nations before the invasion of Ukraine on Feb.24.

The deputy minister said the Russian military was trying to strengthen its positions and regroup its troops there.

“We are now recording missile systems being sent to Gomel region (in southeastern Belarus) and the enemy is trying to accumulate them there,” Maliar said.

She said it was apparently part of a plan to launch missile strikes or use the weapon system to blackmail and intimidate.

“The territory of Belarus continues to be actively used by Russia to carry out aggressive actions,” Maliar said.

The deputy minister said this on Ukrainian TV channels, as reported Ukrinform news website.

It is not the first time that Ukraine has denounced the use of Belarusian territory by the Russian forces to carry out attacks on Ukraine.

Earlier, the Ukrainian military had reported that Russian and Belarusian military equipment was moving in Belarus along the border with Ukraine. EFE

int-lab/ssk

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