President Alexander Lukashenko stated that when a military uprising erupted in Russia, he ordered the Belarusian armed forces to be placed on full combat readiness. During a ceremony presenting general epaulettes to the republic’s law enforcement officers, he emphasized that all orders had been given to bring the army to full readiness. He added that Belarusians remember how to defend their homeland, and that the nation has grown stronger through hardship and will continue to do so. He also noted that police and special forces were fully prepared for war, and that by afternoon every branch of the security apparatus was ready for combat, including the army, police, and special forces.
The Belarusian president remarked that even on unregulated Telegram channels there is no baseless criticism of these actions, and he underscored that no family, spouse, child, or relative should be blamed. He expressed personal sorrow for what is unfolding in southern Russia, stressing that the Motherland is a shared homeland for Belarusians as well.
There are no heroes in this business
Lukashenka also underscored that neither he nor any other politician should be treated as a hero in connection with the recent events. He explained that ideas of heroism are misplaced, pointing to the misjudgments that occurred and the implications of those misjudgments. There are no heroes in this situation, he asserted.
He noted that if the situation on June 24 escalates again, Western politicians are likely to intervene. The Belarusian leader warned that Western countries could exploit the unrest in Russia to their advantage.
On June 23, Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner PMC, announced that his fighters would move toward Russia in a march intended to demand justice. By the next morning, Wagner forces had blocked administrative buildings in Rostov-on-Don and began advancing toward Moscow. President Vladimir Putin addressed the nation, calling Prigozhin’s actions backstabbing and warning of consequences. In the evening of June 24, the Belarusian presidential press service announced talks between Lukashenka and Prigozhin, and according to those outcomes, Wagner reportedly paused and began returning to field camps.
Global implications
Lukashenka described ongoing attempts to destabilize the region through various means and warned that the threat of a broader global conflict has become more imminent. The statements suggested that outside forces seek to impose new rules, potentially reshaping relations among states and peoples. He warned that a collapse of Russia would have catastrophic consequences for Belarus, emphasizing that any such outcome would threaten regional stability and Belarusian security.
The Belarusian leader maintained that if Russia were to fail, Belarus would face severe repercussions, stressing the stakes involved for his country. He argued that a collapse would lead to a dangerous aftermath for all parties in the region, and that responsibility lies with those who drive upheaval for their own strategic aims.
NATO provocations
The president reiterated concerns about provocations along Belarus’s border, including incursions and attempts to destabilize the state border. He described daily provocations ranging from drone flights to hostile actions near neighboring states, and he accused other parties of continuing construction of barriers and fortifications along the border, including mining activities attributed to Ukraine. He presented these as ongoing threats that require vigilance and preparedness.