Only the fight will show whether we can repel a new attack from Belarus - Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council

VALENTYNA ROMANENKO — TUESDAY, 31 MAY 2022, 13:32

Ukraine is observing the Belarusian front thoroughly and is aware of the threat from that side.

Source: Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council Oleksii Danilov in an interview with Ukrinform

Quote: "We understand what is happening on the territory of Belarus; we are following the statements made by Lukashenko; we are aware of the threat that may exist from that side. Unfortunately, in addition to this decision (creation of a new southern operational command - ed.), Russian Iskanders [Iskander mobile short-range ballistic missile systems] are already stationed there, and the level of threat from that side is clear to us ...

(whether Ukraine will be able to keep the defence on this front) depends on our army, on many factors. I emphasise once again that when on 24 February no one believed that we would keep the defence, we kept it. Moreover, we liberated Kyiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv oblasts from the invaders.

Before the war, the President had many meetings with the military, and when asked by Volodymyr Oleksandrovych [Zelenskyy] if we could hold on, General Zaluzhnyi answered quite clearly that only a fight could show that. Answering your question in the same way, I can say: only battle can show the training of our Armed Forces."

Details: Danilov confirmed that the Ukrainian authorities really believed that there would be no attack from the territory of Belarus, which, unfortunately, took place on 24 February. Two days before the war, Ukraine's defenсe minister spoke with his Belarusian "colleague," who assured him that this would not happen.

The Chief Ukrainian Border Guard spoke with the Chief Border Guard of Belarus [the day before the invasion]. He also assured that there would be no aggressive actions from Belarus. "But they went not only from this [Belarusian] side, they went all over the border," Danilov said.

The Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council warned that the war with Russia would not end quickly, and that victory requires the consolidation of the efforts of the whole state.

Background: On 26 February, the head of the State Border Guard Service, Serhii Deineko, sent an official letter to his counterpart from the Republic of Belarus, emphasising that Belarus is waging war against Ukraine together with Russia. The head of the SBGS also said that Belarusians at the border are not worthy to call themselves border guards. "We will win! Be damned, bastards! With disdain!" Deineko summed up the letter.