Ukraine alleges Russia conducted airstrikes on Belarusian outskirts amid invasion

Amid Moscow's continuing offensive in Kyiv, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry has claimed that Russian troops have attacked Belarusian territory that shares border with Ukraine. The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine took to its Facebook account to inform that "Assault aircraft SU" moved into the Ukrainian territory through Belarus and carried out airstrikes on both sides of the border. State Border Guard Service of Ukraine alleged that the attack has been carried out against Belarus to involve them in the war against Ukraine.

According to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, the approaching plans were captured by the border guards deployed at the Dubrovytsia branch in the Rivne region. Calling it a 'deliberate provocation,' the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service asserted that Russia has taken the decision to attack Belarus in order to involve the participation of Belarusian armed forces in the military action against Kyiv. It is pertinent to mention here that Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, March 11, met with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow and discussed the prevailing situation in Ukraine. 

"The arrival of 2 planes from the neighboring state was recorded by border guards serving at the Dubrovytsia branch in the Rivne region," the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine said in its Facebook post.

"Such an attack and actions of the enemy on the settlements of Belarus are a deliberate provocation to involve the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus in the war with Ukraine!," it added. 

Russia plans to attack Belarus from Ukrainian airspace: Ukrainian Defence Min

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry addressed the people of Belarus in a Facebook post and claimed that Russian troops were planning to strike in the Belarusian territory that is close to the Ukraine-Belarus border. According to the Ukrainian Defence Ministry, Russian armed forces are expected to particularly target n. p. Kopani, Stolinsky district, Brest region. They further claimed that the Russian forces planned to conduct the attacks on Belarus from the Ukrainian airspace. 

Russia-Ukraine war

As the Russian offensive in Ukraine entered its 16th day, the Ukrainian Defence ministry has claimed that Russian troops have suffered losses in the Polish, Siversky, South Buzky districts. According to Ukrainian Defence Ministry, the troops of Kyiv have shown fierce combat in Donetsk and insisted that the speed of the arrival of tankers has reduced. Furthermore, it insisted that Kyiv and Mariupol remain the focus of Russian troops and they continue to target cities. The Ukrainian Defence ministry claimed that the Russian troops suffered significant losses, which forced them to withdraw from previously occupied settlements of the Kyiv regions. Furthermore, the Ministry has stated that more than 12000 Russian troops have lost their lives in the offensive. 

Image: AP