Belarus Air Defense Forces, Including Polonez and Iskander on High Alert Amid Ukrainian Border Tensions

The Belarusian Defense Ministry has deployed additional air defense units to safeguard military and critical civilian infrastructure near the Ukrainian border in response to heightened tensions, including heightened drone reconnaissance activity and a buildup of Ukrainian troops.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has ordered the country’s forces to high alert after Ukraine massed troops at the border. The Belarusian and Russian Air Force and Air Defense Forces are on high combat readiness with deployed Polonez and Iskander long-range missile systems.

Lukashenko stressed the importance of cooperation between Belarus and Russia in maintaining security. He emphasized the readiness to respond to any aggression with strikes on designated targets.

Lukashenko also highlighted the commitment to prevent clashes on the border with Ukraine and expressed skepticism about border protection for the European Union from illegal migrants.

The European Union’s sanctions on Belarus have led to discussions on border protection, with Lukashenko asserting Belarus’s priority to secure its people over EU interests.