Kremlin Denies Pressuring Belarus over Role in War

Moscow has denied a report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) alleging that it is pressuring Belarus to support the expansion of Russia's war against Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the claims unfounded and described Minsk as Russia's closest ally.

The WSJ reported that Moscow wants to use Belarusian territory as a staging ground to intensify attacks on Ukraine and is threatening to cut off financial aid unless it receives support. On Thursday, Belarus said it perceived a "blatant" attempt to drag it into the war in Ukraine, according to Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin. He did not specify who he meant but suggested it was the West, which he said was trying to prolong and expand the conflict.

Russian forces already used Belarusian territory in their 2022 invasion of Ukraine. In recent months, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Moscow is trying to draw Minsk deeper into the conflict. Last week he said Belarusian stations had been helping guide Russian drones, though he later added that they had stopped functioning.

Although Alexander Lukashenko did not send Belarusian troops to fight alongside Russian forces, he did allow the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons, permitted joint military exercises and granted access to military bases.

At the same time, Russia depends on Belarusian refineries, which process Russian crude oil and send gasoline, diesel and jet fuel back to Russia.

(Reuters, bak)