North Korea troops in Ukraine would escalate conflict, Lukashenko tells BBC

There aren’t galore satellite leaders who’ve been successful powerfulness for 30 years.

Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus has been accused of stealing elections, crushing dissent and dismantling democracy.

The UK, the EU and the US bash not recognise him arsenic the morganatic president of Belarus.

There’s thing other you should cognize astir him: if there’s immoderate person who knows Vladimir Putin wrong out, it is Lukashenko. The 2 men person known each different for years and conscionable regularly.

Alexander Lukashenko met maine connected the sidelines of the Brics acme of emerging economies. He wants Belarus to go a member.

I asked him to remark connected claims that North Korea had sent troops to combat alongside Russia successful Ukraine.

“Rubbish,” Lukashenko replied. “Knowing his quality Putin would ne'er effort to transportation different state to impact its service successful Russia’s peculiar cognition successful Ukraine.”

“And if the reports are confirmed?” I asked.

“It would beryllium a measurement towards the escalation of the struggle if the equipped forces of immoderate country, adjacent Belarus, were connected the interaction line,” replied Alexander Lukashenko.

“Even if we got progressive successful the warfare this would beryllium a way to escalation. Why? Because you, the Anglo-Saxons, would instantly accidental that different state had got progressive connected 1 side... truthful Nato troops would beryllium deployed to Ukraine.”

I inquire him whether Vladimir Putin has ever asked Lukashenko to supply Belarussian troops for the Kremlin’s warfare successful Ukraine.

“Never. Neither he, nor [former Defence Minister] Sergei Shoigu, nor the existent Defence Minister Andrei Belousov has ever raised that question.”

But Belarus has played a portion successful Russia’s war. In February 2022 Russia’s full-scale penetration of Ukraine was launched, partly, from Belarusian territory. Why did the country’s person let the Kremlin to bash that?

“How bash you cognize I gave support for Belarusian territory to beryllium used?” Lukashenko asks me.

“Because Belarusian territory was utilized [for the invasion].”

“There were exercises going connected involving respective 1000 Russian soldiers. Putin started withdrawing these troops from wherever they were successful confederate Belarus, down a road, on the borderline with Ukraine.

"At 1 constituent helium redirected immoderate of these troops to Kyiv. I’m definite they’d been provoked. It’s up to Putin however helium withdraws his troops. Via Kyiv. Or helium could person gone done Minsk.”

“Didn’t you telephone Putin to inquire what was going on?” I ask.

“No. He didn’t telephone me. And I didn’t telephone him. These are his troops and helium has the close to determination them retired whichever mode helium likes.”

That remark reflects the grade of power the Kremlin has successful neighbouring Belarus.

Another example: Russia has stationed tactical atomic weapons successful Belarus.

“Is Putin acceptable to usage those weapons successful the warfare successful Ukraine?” I ask.

“Putin volition ne'er usage the weapons stationed successful Belarus without the Belarusian president’s consent,” Lukashenko tells me.

“Are you acceptable to let the usage of atomic weapons?”

“I’m wholly ready, different wherefore person these weapons? But lone if the footwear of 1 [foreign] worker steps into Belarus. We person nary plans to onslaught anyone.”

Human rights groups estimation determination are presently 1,300 governmental prisoners successful Belarus.

Alexander Lukashenko had antecedently told maine determination were none.

But speaking to maine contiguous (perhaps inadvertently) helium utilized the operation “political prisoner”, erstwhile speaking astir the tiny fig freed successful caller months.

Some commentators person interpreted the releases arsenic a connection from Lukashenko to the West that helium seeks amended relations.

He denies that.

“We freed governmental prisoners connected humanitarian grounds,” helium says. “They were mostly aged radical and the sick. That’s all.

“This is nary measurement towards improving relations with you. If you don’t privation relations with us, that’s fine. We’ll get by without you.”