Lukashenko says Belarus intercepted Ukraine’s attempts at missile strikes

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia on May 23, 2022. Sputnik/Ramil Sitdikov/Kremlin via Reuters Attention Editors – This photo is provided by a third party.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Saturday that Ukraine had tried to bomb military facilities on Belarusian soil three days ago, but all its missiles were intercepted, the official Belta news agency reported.

Lukashenko, who did not provide evidence for this claim, said that Belarus did not want war with Ukraine, but would fight if its territory was invaded.

The Ukrainian military did not immediately comment.

“They provoke us. I have to tell you, three days ago, maybe a little more, an attempt was made to strike military installations on Belarusian soil from the territory of Ukraine,” Belta quoted Lukashenko as saying.

“But thank God, the Pantsir anti-aircraft systems were able to intercept all the missiles fired by the Ukrainian armed forces,” he added.

Lukashenko said there are no Belarusian forces fighting what Moscow calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine.

Belarus is a close ally of Russia and allowed Moscow to use Belarusian territory to send troops to Ukraine on February 24.

Reported by Reuters

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