Lukashenko significantly increased the military budget of Belarus: where to expect a blow

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has increased the military budget fivefold and is demanding that law enforcement agencies prepare for active combat operations on land, which indicates his intentions to use the country’s territory as a springboard for new military adventures.

This was reported by Belarusian oppositionist and diplomat Pavlo Latushko in a comment to “Pryamoy”.

According to him, such a sharp change in rhetoric was a direct consequence of the dictator’s long evening meetings with Putin on May 8 and 9. According to the guest, Moscow continues to use Minsk as a platform for pressure on Ukraine and the Baltic countries.

“We are preparing for war. And the word “war” is not out of his vocabulary,” Latushko emphasized.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ui–Ou-5DE

He also recalled that over the past four years, Minsk’s military spending has increased fivefold, reaching 10% of gross domestic product. Although the country’s economy is small, such a jump in military funding is significant.

At the same time, the oppositionist adds, the authorities are actively purchasing modern Russian weapons, including airplanes, helicopters, and air defense systems. At the same time, the country has simplified the mobilization system, allowing even people with serious health problems and prisoners to be drafted.

In addition, Latushko is convinced that Belarusian territory has become a strategically advantageous platform for creating direct military threats to the Alliance member states. The diplomat drew attention to intelligence data indicating the possibility of an attack on Lithuania or Latvia in the coming months. The Kremlin is testing the unity of the Western allies and the effectiveness of Article 5 of the NATO treaty.

“It is very convenient to go from the Belarusian balcony towards Lithuania, Latvia or even create tension towards Estonia and Finland,” Latushko explained and emphasized that a strike from both sides creates critical problems for the protection of sovereign territories.

According to him, the movement of groups of migrants to the Latvian border is currently being recorded, which is part of hybrid aggression. Moscow may use the pretext of “protecting the Russian-speaking population” to provoke a local conflict. In turn, European leaders are already expressing fears that internal disagreements in NATO will prevent a quick and consolidated response to such a provocation.

As a reminder, in early May, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced “specific activity” on the part of Belarus on sections of the Ukrainian border. At the same time, the Center for Countering Disinformation emphasized that only minor provocations from the Belarusian side are currently possible.

Meanwhile, the special services of the occupying country are preparing a large-scale provocation on the territory of Belarus with elements of an operation “under a foreign flag”, with the aim of accusing Ukraine of sabotage on the territory of this country. According to the analytical department of the GI “Prava Sprava”, the Russian special services are preparing a provocation with strikes on oil refineries and warehouses with fuel and lubricants on the territory of the Republic of Belarus.

At the same time, former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also stated a number of factors that may indicate Belarus’ preparation for military escalation . At the same time, according to him, there has been no record of the formation of strike groups for the imminent offensive.

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