Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said on several occasions that the Belarusian army is only fighting to defend itself.
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko announced on Monday that the country would create a regional army of volunteers.
– Everyone must be able to at least handle weapons to defend their family, home or, if necessary, their country, Lukashenko said.
The strength of the forces is aimed at 100,000–150,000 volunteers, said the Minister of Defense of Belarus Viktor Khrenin. Volunteer paramilitary forces are to be stationed in every village and town.
Khrenin added that the troops form a reserve in peacetime, but in wartime the volunteer force could act as a guerilla force.
Lukashenko has said several times before that the Belarusian army is only fighting to defend itself.
– In the event of an attack, we will respond quickly, forcefully and appropriately, Lukashenko said.
Belarus is feared to participate in the Russian attack in Ukraine
In the past, the leadership of Belarus has claimed to have received information about the intentions of Ukraine or NATO to attack Belarus. However, there has been no confirmation of these talks at any point.
Lukashenko has allowed Russia to send its troops to Ukraine via Belarus after Russia started its full-scale war of aggression about a year ago. At the beginning of the war, Russia launched an attack on Kiev through Belarus, but Ukraine repelled the attack.
According to the AP news agency, Russia has approximately 10,000 soldiers in Belarus.
Last October, Lukashenko announced the intentions of Belarus and Russia to form a joint military unit. The formation of a joint unit is recorded in the State Union Agreement between Russia and Belarus.
Belarus is dependent on Russia’s political and financial support. Lukashenka is thought to have survived the massive pro-democracy demonstrations in Belarus in 2020 against the Russian president Vladimir Putin with support.
Belarus’s dependence on Russia has rightly raised concerns in Ukraine that Putin would eventually succeed in pressuring Lukashenka and Belarus’ forces into the war in Ukraine.
Among other things, the European Union and the United States have imposed extensive economic sanctions on Belarus because the country has supported Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
Sources: Reuters, AP