Belarus Oppn leader Tsikhanouskaya claims nearly 1500 Belarusians fighting for Ukraine

Belarusian Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has claimed that around 1500 Belarusian men have joined the fight for the Ukrainian military amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Speaking to Corriere della Sera, she said that many people from Belarus have been currently undergoing training in "other countries" as they wanted to help Ukraine. The statement of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya comes as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues for more than 100 days. 

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the Belarusian democratic movement, warned against lifting sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya emphasized that lifting sanctions against Putin and Lukashenko would provide them financial relief and give them a "sense of victory," as per the Corriere della Sera news report. She underscored that lifting sanctions by European Union would result in the two leaders believing that "violence pays." According to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the lifting of sanctions could cause "repression" in Belarus and a military offensive against Ukraine. She called for the end of the Russian blockade on Ukrainian ports and placing pressure on Russia and not on the people of Belarus and Ukraine. It is pertinent to mention here ever since Russian forces began their military offensive in Ukraine on February 24, the EU has been imposing sanctions against Ukraine and Belarus. 

Russia-Ukraine War 

The Ukrainian Defence Ministry in the daily war update said that Russian forces continue to provide enhanced security to Ukrainian-Russian border in the Bryansk and Kursk regions. It said that Russian forces continue shelling in civilian infrastructure of settlements in Sumy and Chernihiv. According to Ukraine, Russian forces continue to carry out firing at civilian infrastructure in Basilivka, Kutuzivka and Petrivske settlements. The Ukrainian Defence Ministry claimed that Russian troops fired at Ukrainian forces with mortars and artillery systems of different types. Ukraine has claimed to have intercepted seven Russian attacks in Donetsk and Luhansk. 

As the Moscow-Kyiv war continues for more than 100 days, Ukraine has claimed that around 31150 Russian soldiers have been killed since Russia's offensive started on February 24. Taking to Facebook, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has announced that the Russian soldiers have lost 1381 tanks, 2360 vehicles and fuel tanks, 13 ships or boats. According to Ukraine, Russia has lost 122 cruise missiles, 53 special equipment, 95 anti-aircraft warfare systems, 210 aircraft, 175 helicopters as well as 548 unmanned aerial vehicles. In addition, the Russian armed forces have lost 207 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), 3392 combat armoured machines as well as 686 artillery systems.

Image: AP