Belarus is sending special forces to three areas close to its southern border with war-torn Ukraine, its Ministry of Defense announced Tuesday.

The Russia-aligned nation will also prepare air defense, missile units, and artillery for drills in its northwestern and western regions as Belarusian leaders fret about elevated NATO activity near the country's borders they claim is a growing threat.

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"The United States and its allies continue to build up their military presence on the state borders of the Republic of Belarus," Belarus's Ministry of Defense said on Telegram, per a Google translation. "The established grouping has more than doubled in the past six months in quantity and quality."

Minsk has abstained from direct military involvement in Ukraine but has allowed Russia to use its land as a staging ground for its bloody offensive. Belarus has been one of the Kremlin's few staunch supporters during the war and has been slapped with a steady stream of sanctions from the West as a consequence.


Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko also announced a missile deal with Russia to help bolster its military capabilities. Lukashenko, who has been dubbed “Europe’s last dictator,” said Russia agreed to help develop missiles such as the Iskander, which Russian forces have used in Ukraine, Reuters reported. "We are realists. We understand that we will not be able to defeat NATO. But we can cause damage, especially to those territories from which we will be attacked," he warned.

The increasingly isolated nation shares a border with Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia — all of which are NATO members that have expressed outrage over the Russian invasion.

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Last week, Belarus began military exercises to gauge its military readiness. Russia had conducted joint exercises with Belarus before commencing its invasion.

Lukashenko was nearly ousted from power during the 2020 election before receiving economic and political support from Russia. He has cracked down on journalists and activists who have questioned his backing of Russia's invasion.