No mobilisation in Belarus, Lukashenko says

LONDON (Reuters) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko mentioned he was not planning a mobilisation after his shut ally Russia introduced it was calling up tons of of 1000’s of reservists for the warfare in Ukraine.

“The mobilisation is in Russia. … There will likely be no mobilisation (right here),” state media quoted Lukashenko as saying.

The president, in energy since 1994, mentioned he was commenting on rumours that he deliberate to announce new measures in Belarus to help Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russia is Belarus’ essential backer and the 2 neighbours are a part of a borderless so-called “union state”. Belarus additionally borders northern Ukraine and served as a staging submit for Russian troops, missiles and plane, each earlier than and through Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“We are going to battle solely when now we have to defend our house, our land,” the state-run Belta information company quoted Lukashenko as saying on Friday.

(Reporting by Reuters; Modifying by Kevin Liffey)