Lukashenko announced elimination of tension on border with Ukraine

President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko has arrived at the southern border and held a meeting on ensuring the country's military security in the southern operational area. In the Luninets District of the Brest Region, the Commander-in-Chief visited the 56th anti-aircraft missile regiment and was reported by the military and security officials.

Among those participating in the meeting were State Secretary of the Security Council Aleksandr Volfovich, State Security Committee Chairman Ivan Tertel, Interior Minister Ivan Kubrakov, Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Pavel Muraveiko, Chairman of the State Border Committee Konstantin Molostov, Commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces Vadim Denisenko, Commander of the Air Force and Air Defence Andrei Lukyanovich.

Addressing the military, the Commander-in-Chief recalled that, a couple of weeks ago, there had been a serious aggravation of the situation on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. “After our specific work, Ukrainians have withdrawn their armed forces and additional troops, that they had transferred to our border, from the border area and have actually taken them out the Belarusian-Ukrainian border zone,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Before making final decisions, the Belarusian leader asked the meeting participants to comment on how they see the present situation on the border, “This is for us not to make even the slightest mistake. If this is the case (actually, this is exactly the case), because I asked the guys of this regiment, as well as the Defence Minister, and they say that we now have no complications with Ukrainians. I hope we will not have them further.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that Belarusians did not want that escalation, “We absolutely do not need it, and – even more so – Ukraine does not need it as well: it has enough problems.”

At the same time, the Commander-in-Chief emphasised, “No matter how they [Ukrainians] look at us askance, no matter how they name us – even calling us enemies… Actually, we are not enemies for Ukrainians, and I have voiced this many times: they are our people, they are people like us, like Russians. We need to come to an agreement as soon as possible. The main thing is to talk!”

photos: www.president.gov.by