Belarus threatens to close Ukrainian embassy amid alleged airspace violation

Belarus, a key Russian ally, summoned Ukraine's top diplomat in Minsk and threatened "retaliatory steps" if alleged drone “border provocations” from Ukraine recur.

Aug 12, 2024 - 07:44

Belarus threatens to close Ukrainian embassy amid alleged airspace violation

Putin ally Lukashenko labels Ukraine "enemy", puts Belarusian troops on alert

On 10 August, the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Ukraine’s Chargé d’Affaires, Olha Tymush, and presented her with a diplomatic note about an alleged border violation by Ukrainian drones.

Belarus, a key ally of Russia, supported Moscow’s war in Ukraine since 2022, allowing its territory to be used as a staging ground for the full-scale invasion.

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry’s warned that continued “provocations” from Ukraine could lead to questioning the “expediency” of maintaining Ukraine’s diplomatic presence in Minsk, threatening to close the Ukrainian embassy there.

They also demanded to take measures to prevent “such incidents that could lead to further escalation.”

This diplomatic tension follows claims by self-proclaimed President Alexander Lukashenko that Ukrainian drones entered Belarusian airspace.

Lukashenko stated that on the evening of 9 August, Belarusian air defense forces destroyed several suspected Ukrainian targets approximately 6.5 km (4 miles) inside Belarusian territory.

Lukashenko ordered a buildup of forces along the country’s southern border, specifically in areas adjacent to Ukraine’s Kyiv and Chernihiv oblasts. Ukraine interpreted this move as a strategic ploy to distract Ukrainian military leadership from combat in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.

Lukashenko also referenced Ukrainian military advancements in the Kursk oblast, claiming that Ukrainian forces moved 30-35 kilometers (18-21 miles) into the area.

Russia declared a “counter-terrorist operation” in the Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk oblasts, which border Ukraine, due to increased Ukrainian cross-border attacks.

Combat operations have persisted in Kursk Oblast since 6 August, following a Ukrainian military incursion. The region faces widespread panic and disorganized evacuations.

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