Ukraine Denies Belarusian Troop Buildup Amid Border Tensions

Ukraine refuted claims by Belarus of troop buildup near their shared border, as announced by Ukraine's border guard spokesman Andriy Demchenko. This contradicts Belarus's claim of sending reinforcements after accusing Ukraine of airspace violations. The situation hints at an information campaign by Belarus to assist Russia.

Ukraine has denied any indications of a Belarusian military buildup near their border, despite statements from Minsk suggesting otherwise. Speaking on Monday, Andriy Demchenko, a spokesman for Ukraine's border guard service, said, "In the last few days, we have not recorded any movement or build-up of Belarusian forces, including various units, equipment, and personnel near our border."

Over the weekend, Belarus, an ally of the Kremlin and Ukraine's northern neighbor, declared it was sending troops to the border, accusing Kyiv of drone violations in its airspace. A buildup at the border would force Ukraine to divert scarce military resources to the north, adding pressure in a region already tense due to Russia.

It comes nearly two-and-a-half years since Russia initiated a full-scale invasion, and just a week after Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russia's Kursk region. On Monday, there were reports of increased Ukrainian military activity near Belgorod, Russia. Demchenko suggested that Belarus's statements might be aimed at bolstering Russia's information campaign to exert additional pressure on Ukraine.

He speculated that Belarus might move small numbers of equipment and personnel to create the appearance of a buildup, but this would likely occur deeper within Belarusian territory.

(With inputs from agencies.)