Russia rejects reports of Putin pushing Belarus into invading Kyiv as 'baseless & stupid'

The Press Secretary for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, rejected reports that the Kremlin leader had travelled to Minsk to discuss a potential operation in Ukraine with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. Such reports were “absolutely stupid and baseless fabrications,” said the Kremlin spokesperson. Putin landed in Minsk on Monday where Lukashenko personally met him at the airport, the Pul Pervogo Telegram channel reported, adding that the leaders went to the residence of the Belarusian President, the Independence Palace, to hold a meeting. 

Ukrainians fear the Russian president will pressure his Belarusian counterpart to join a new offensive in their meeting today. The meeting marks Putin's first visit in three and a half years with the Kremlin describing it as a broad "working visit" with Lukashenko. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also arrived in Minsk to participate in the meeting between the presidents of Russia and Belarus, a Sputnik correspondent reported. The Russian delegation also includes Ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov, and Director of Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugayev; reported Sputnik news.

Belarus, one of Russia's closest allies, allowed its territory to be used as a launchpad for Moscow's February invasion of Ukraine, but has not joined the fighting directly. In early October, Lukashenko announced that Kyiv had pulled up a group of up to 15,000 troops to the border with Belarus. At the same time, he stressed that the Belarusian military would not take part in the Russian special operation in Ukraine. According to him, the task of Minsk is to prevent attacks on its territory, in particular from Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.

Ukraine Military issues warning

Putin’s Belarus visit has resulted in Ukraine’s military issuing a warning of a potential border escalation ahead of the visit, reported Kyiv Independent. Belarusian Hajun, a crowdsourced channel monitoring movement of Russian military equipment and weapons, reported that Russia transferred at least 50 Ural military trucks and another 30-truck convoy to Belarus over the past week. “No matter who or what tries to persuade Minsk to do anything, it will not help them. Our military is preparing for all possible defence scenarios," Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on December 18. Ukraine is worried that as Russian troops prepare to conduct exercises in Belarus, the country could again serve as a base for a renewed assault on Ukraine.