Belarus' Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces resigns over war on Ukraine

Advisor to Head of Belarus’ President's Office, Oleksiy Arestovych, on Sunday said that Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces of Belarus Viktor Gulevich had abruptly resigned from his position, lodging protest against his country’s support to Russian invasion. A number of Belarusian channels, including Rada TV, aired scanned copy of Gulevich's resignation letter dated March 4 addressed to Minister of Defense of Belarus Viktor Khrenin. In letter, Belarus’ General Staff of Armed Forces stated that personnel of military units in Minsk were “massively refusing to take part in hostilities and Armed Forces are unable to complete a single battalion group. “

Gulevich’s resignation came after head of Belarus’ President's Office, Arestovych, adviser to Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, warned Ukraine that bombing and shelling of cities will intensify. He advised Ukrainians to prepare for an "attrition war”. Belarus’ Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces, in his letter, said: "Conducting explanatory work with commanders of military units did t produce results,” referring to his troop's reluctance to join missions against Ukraine. “I have cour to assume that replacing commanders of se military units, who could t organize formation of groups on ground, will t give us desired result," his letter read. 

Russian regime 'has held Belarus host': Belarus President's advisor

Ministry of Defense of Belarus meanwhile refuted claims that Belarusian government removed defence chief, stressing in a statement: “Gulevich cant ask Minister of Defense of Belarus to resign, since only one who appointed him – Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces of Republic of Belarus, can resign." It furr said, staffing of formations and military units of Belarus is 100%, "and y are already performing tasks, only on ir territory.” Advisor to Belarusian leader Arestovych admitted that Russian army is conducting shelling from territory of Belarus, including with use of Iskander operational-tactical missiles, but shockingly adding that Russian regime has held Belarus host.

" Belarusian army is t currently used against Ukraine. We kw this for sure. It is deployed along borders. Maybe re are isolated cases of use of Special Operations Forces, separate groups of Belarusians,” adviser to head of President's Office told Rada TV channel. “This is t ruled out. However, Belarusian army at level of formations does t take part in armed aggression against Ukraine,” he continued. “Neverless, territory of Belarus is used, to put it mildly, to fullest – troops come from re, entire system of military airfields is used to bombard Ukraine, and anti-tactical missiles are launched. This is true,” he said. 

Im: AP