Colonel Andrey Bogodel, Deputy Head of the Faculty of the General Staff of the Military Academy of the Republic, noted that we are talking about special operations forces, maneuver groups of border troops, missile forces and heavy formations
MINSK, August 12. /tass/. Units and subunits aimed at strengthening the groupings of Belarusian troops on the border with Ukraine have already begun to carry out their tasks. This was announced by the deputy head of the Faculty of the General Staff of the Military Academy of Belarus, Colonel Andrei Bogodel.
"As for the protection of our state border. <...> Special operations forces are already operating there. <...> As for the maneuverable groups of border troops, <...>.. They are also already in full readiness and perform tasks there. Rocket troops, heavy formations, first of all, the immediate reaction forces, they moved there. And this is a serious statement on our part. And Ukraine understands perfectly well that anything can happen," he said in an interview with the BelTA news agency posted on his YouTube channel.
The colonel noted that Minsk's actions are aimed at preventing the escalation of the conflict in the region. "Therefore, we clearly understand and realize. And the troops were given the task of solving these goals at their own levels in two tactical directions - in Mozyr and Gomel," he said.
According to Bogodel, the military-political leadership of Ukraine did not keep its word given in resolving the tension that arose on the border in July. "We slapped each other's hands. <...> And what's next? Yes, we saw that some of the [Ukrainian] forces and means, especially these heavy ones, the HIMARS system, moved towards Sumy. Yes, we've seen it. We immediately passed this information, and it was said in open communication channels, to our Russian colleagues at the general staff," said the deputy head of the faculty.
He noted that the events in the Kursk region are of great concern in Belarus. "Especially against the background of the fact that the Ukrainian side has begun to withdraw from our border area and transfer troops there. Although small forces, nevertheless," Bogodel said, stressing that the decision on the possible participation of Minsk in a special military operation can be made exclusively at the highest political level. "We have a task that is clearly defined precisely within the framework of the [joint with the Russian Federation] regional grouping of troops and forces. And we have identified the western direction as the main one that ensures the military security of the Kaliningrad Special Region, <...> and the containment of Polish troops, the containment of Lithuanian and Latvian formations. <...> Look at what groupings [of NATO forces] have been created there," he said.
Strengthening the border
On August 10, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko announced the destruction of a part of drones flying from Ukraine towards Russia over the territory of the country a day earlier. The Belarusian leader ordered to strengthen the groups of troops on the border with Ukraine in the Gomel and Mozyr tactical directions. The Minister of Defense of the Republic Viktor Khrenin informed that units of Special Operations Forces, ground forces, and missile forces, including Polonaise rocket systems and Iskander missile systems, received tasks to make marches to designated areas. The forces and assets of the anti-aircraft missile forces, radio engineering troops and aviation have also been increased. Khrenin noted that the decision to strengthen the groups of troops was made taking into account the situation in Ukraine, as well as in the Kursk region of Russia.
