Belarus denies mobilization reports
There are no preparations for a draft in Belarus, the defense ministry in Minsk said on Tuesday, denying allegations made by the media in Kiev citing the Ukrainian military. Belarus has increased the police presence along the border with Ukraine, however, citing a possible threat of sabotage from its southern neighbor.
The publication of contracts for printing blank draft forms “was interpreted by laymen as connected with mobilization,” the defense ministry outlined in a statement. “This is not true.”
Such contracts are routine and their posting is mandated by transparency laws, the military said, adding, “There can be no other interpretations or insinuations in this regard.”
The reaction from Minsk comes after Kiev claimed on Monday that a mobilization in Belarus may be imminent. Ukraine has “obtained information that the military commissariat of Belarus’s Brest Oblast has issued a call for tenders to print 50,000 call-up notices before 31 December,” the Ukrainian General Staff said as part of their daily briefing posted on Facebook.
Belarus has “strengthened security measures” in Brest and Gomel regions – the two administrative districts bordering Ukraine – the republic’s Interior Minister Ivan Kubrakov told Belarus 1 TV on Monday evening, citing the potential threat of Ukrainian infiltrators.
Last week, Ukraine announced it was resuming construction on a “border wall” with its northern neighbor, whom it accuses of aiding Russia in the ongoing conflict.
Russia deployed several thousand troops to Belarus last month, as part of a joint force with Minsk to counter the increased military activity by NATO as well as Kiev. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has claimed that Ukraine was assembling a force of 15,000 or more troops along its northern border, preparing fighting positions and conducting reconnaissance.
