Lukashenko Says Tense Military Situation Develops at Belarusian Border

MINSK (Sputnik) - A tense military-political situation is developing at the Belarusian border, President Alexander Lukashenko said on Saturday.

"A tense military-political situation is developing at the borders of the Fatherland in our difficult times, same as eight decades ago," the president said in his congratulations on the Border Guard Day.

Belarus will protect its independence and territorial integrity, if necessary, and the border guards will do everything possible to keep the country's borders intact, Lukashenko added.

Last week, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said that Belarus is taking measures to defend its sovereignty amid NATO activity near the country's borders.

In early May, Belarusian Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff Ruslan Kosygin said that NATO doubled its military presence in Eastern Europe, which allows the alliance to send strike forces to the borders of Russia and Belarus in the shortest time possible.

On 24 February, Russia began its special military operation in Ukraine, responding to calls for help from the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. Western countries and their allies have accused Minsk of assisting Moscow in the operation and participating in hostilities on the Russian side, imposing sanctions on both countries.