Reaping Criticism For Supporting Moscow, Belarusian President: We Will Continue To Support Russia

JAKARTA - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said his country was standing behind Russia, regarding military moves in Ukraine, as part of a longstanding commitment with Moscow.

Alexander Lukashenko, in power since 1994 and accused of human rights abuses in the West, has allowed Russian troops to use his country's territory to invade Ukraine.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the Second World War anniversary of the liberation of Minsk by Soviet troops, President Lukashenko said he had given his support to President Putin's campaign against Ukraine 'since day one' in late February.

"Today, we were criticized for being the only country in the world that supported Russia in its fight against Nazism. We support and will continue to support Russia," a video on state news agency BelTA shows President Lukashenko recounting the meeting.

"And those who criticize us, don't they know that we have a close union with the Russian Federation? That we practically have a unified army. But you know all this. We will remain together with the Russian fraternity."

It is known that Belarus has committed to a 'union state' with Russia since the mid-1990s, but little progress has been made in implementing the plan and last year Lukashenko insisted that his country should maintain its 'sovereignty'.

President Lukashenko, however, has become increasingly dependent on the Kremlin since, with Russian backing and a security crackdown, he suppressed mass protests by demonstrators accusing him of rigging his 2020 re-election.

Separately, President Zelensky, quoted by Ukrainian media, told reporters in Kyiv that Lukashenko's comments were a "dangerous" development.

"Lukashenko's statement about the army uniting with Russia, above all, is dangerous for the Belarusian people," President Zelensky said with the Australian Prime Minister.

"He must not drag Belarus into the war of Russia's invasion against Ukraine. I believe this is a dangerous signal. And I believe that we will all see the results of this signal."

A senior Ukrainian intelligence official last week said the risk was low from a direct invasion of Ukraine by troops from Belarus.

However, Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadoviy said at the weekend the situation at the Belarusian border was unpredictable and he had held meetings with city officials to draw up contingency plans in case of an escalation.