The Belarusian military entered the temporarily occupied Kyrylivka, Zaporizhzhia Region. This was announced on the air of the telethon by the mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, on Thursday, January 26.
Fedorov said that the Russian occupiers are implementing the "Donetsk scenario" in the Zaporizhzhia Region, intimidating residents with stories about the alleged preparation of shelling from the Ukrainian side. The mayor noted that he receives information from local residents about the increase in the contingent of invaders.
"They say that another wave of Rashist soldiers is coming, and yesterday and today Belarusian soldiers are coming in. They may be employees of a private military company. We do not know how they will cover their participation in the war against Ukraine. Perhaps they will say that these are definitely not regular troops of Belarus, but in fact they are Belarusians. In fact, they have chevrons of some Vitebsk unit or brigade. This is what our residents see," Fedorov said.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on January 16, a spokesman for the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yurii Ihnat said that joint air exercises with Russia in Belarus do not yet pose a threat to Ukraine.
On January 19, White House spokesman John Kirby said that Belarus would not fully support Russia in the war against Ukraine in the near future.
On January 23, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) announced that Russian troops will launch an offensive against Ukraine from Belarus no earlier than the fall of 2023.
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