Concerns are growing among the Belarusian opposition about a possible mobilization in their country in support of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The opposition politician Pawel Latuschka, who lives in exile in Warsaw, told the editorial network Germany that the preparations for this were well advanced. The Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko only needs to press the button on orders from the Kremlin to start mobilizing. Former Belarusian culture minister Latushka is a member of opposition leader Svetlana Tichanovskaya’s cabinet in exile.
As Latushka reported, citing sources from Minsk, almost all employees who report to the Belarusian Interior Ministry were asked to surrender their passports. This information would come from various cities in the country. “This means that these people can no longer leave the territory of Belarus if they are mobilized,” said Latuschka.
One can also observe that the Russian military presence in Belarus is constantly growing. That affects the number of soldiers and the equipment. “Military exercises of the Russian armed forces, including exercises on cooperation between the armed forces of Russia and Belarus, are held regularly,” Latushka said.
Lukashenko is dependent on the Kremlin
Fears about active involvement of the Belarusian military in the war of aggression against Ukraine have existed practically since the start of the Russian invasion of the neighboring country at the end of February 2022. Russian forces have used the territory of ally Belarus as a launching pad for attacks on Ukraine.
According to official information, Lukashenko visited a joint Russian-Belarusian force in the country on Friday. The Ministry of Defense in Minsk said that the “experience gained through the merging of military units and associations” is “of great importance” for Belarus. Speculations have recently increased that a renewed Russian attack in the direction of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv could again take place via Belarus.
Ruler Alexander Lukashenko, who is no longer recognized as president in the West, is militarily, politically and economically dependent on the Kremlin. According to official information, Belarusian soldiers have not yet fought in Ukraine.
