Ukrainian authorities said on Monday that the situation on the border with Belarus remains under control and that there are no movements in the neighboring country that could endanger Ukraine’s security.
“The situation remains under complete control. There is no movement of equipment or personnel of any unit near our border: whether it be Russian mercenaries or units of the Belarusian or Russian army,” Andri Demchenko, spokesman for the Ukrainian border service, said in remarks on Ukrainian television.
However, Demchenko indicated that monitoring and patrol work will continue as long as Wagner Group operatives are in Belarus, under an agreement the mercenaries reached with Russian President Vladimir Putin to avoid prosecution for the failed uprising against the top ranks of the Russian defense a month ago.
The Ukrainian official stated that Ukraine should be prepared for any kind of unforeseen circumstances affecting its borders, and defended strengthening security and providing more resources for border guards.
After the intervention of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, an acknowledged ally of Putin, a first camp was set up to welcome the mercenaries from Ukraine in Tsel, Mogilev region, with a capacity of nearly 9,000 people.
Currently, members of the Wagner Group are installed at the Brestski training ground, which, according to the latest reports, is only 50 kilometers from the Polish border.
For the commander of the armed forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Serhi Naev, the presence of the Wagner group in Belarus, as well as the joint maneuvers they are conducting with the Belarusian army, are nothing more than an attempt to exert pressure and intimidate the people and government of Kiev.
Source: DN
