01 June 2021, Tuesday, 18:02 238

Lukashenko Allows Transfer Of Russian Military To Belarus In Case Of NATO Activity

Редактор: Daria Zubkova

Aleksandr Lukashenko, declared by the Central Election Commission of Belarus as the President, allows the transfer of Russian troops to Belarus in the case of the activity of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Ukrainian News Agency learned this from a statement on Lukashenko's website.

“There were no discussions in terms of the transfer of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on a permanent basis, the creation of any bases. There was even no talk of this, and we don’t need it. At the same time, Aleksandr Lukashenko drew attention to the fact that Russia is close to Belarus, and if suspicious military activity is noticed on the part of NATO, allied units can be transferred to Belarus within 24 hours. In case of escalation," the statement reads.

It is also said that Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to find an algorithm for responding to sanctions from the West.

“Belarus and Russia are determined to resist attacks from the outside together. Understanding that certain forces are beginning to unite around us and put pressure on us, both President Putin and I have. We perfectly understand what is happening around our country and we assess this situation exactly the same. And we are determined to resist all these attacks together," Lukashenko said.

In particular, he commented on the threats of the European Union to ban the transit of Russian gas through Belarus.

"Raider seizure". I absolutely support this terminology. The fact that this is an attempt at raider seizures is a fact. But nothing will come of it. It will cost them dearly then. Here they will deal not only and not so much with Belarus as with Russia,” Lukashenko said.

He also announced plans to support the Belarusian national aviation company Belavia.

“You know my position: Belavia has nothing to do with the so-called incident that happened. The company that did not land, did not lift this plane has nothing to do with it. And this suggests that the West made a major blunder, linking this company with that incident," Lukashenko said.

According to him, Belarus and Russia are working on opening new Belavia flights, including not only large ones, to Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also to other cities of the Russian Federation, including resorts.

According to the statement, Lukashenko and Putin also discussed the upcoming meeting of the Russian President with U.S. President Joe Biden and "the situation in Ukraine and the policy of its leadership."

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on May 23, Belarusian air traffic controllers reported about the mining of a Ryanair airline, which was en route from Athens (Greece) to Vilnius (Lithuania), so that it would be forced to land in Minsk, accompanied by a MiG-29 combat aircraft of the Armed Forces of Belarus.

After the plane landed in Belarus, law enforcers detained Roman Protasevich, co-founder of the NEXTA Telegram channel, opposition to the Belarusian authorities.

Ukraine decided to terminate air traffic with Belarus from May 26 and prohibit aircraft flights over its territory, and from May 29 banned the use of its airspace by Belarusian airlines.