In an effort to drag Belarus into the Ukraine war, Russian jets have reportedly fired on areas in Belarus from the Ukrainian airspace. A Belarusian settlement near the border was hit by a Russian aircraft, Ukraine has claimed.
Kyiv believes that the move is aimed at involving Minsk in the Ukraine war.
"This is a provocation! The goal is to involve the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus in the war with Ukraine," said Ukraine's Air Force Command in an online statement.
Lukashenko Was With Putin During Airstrikes
At the time of the attack, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was in a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow, said Oleksiy Arestovych, adviser of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to the Daily Mirror.
Ukraine is branding the attacks on Belarusian villages as a false-flag operation. "I believe that (the Belarusian military command) will do everything they can to avoid this scenario," said Oleksiy Arestovych.
Belarus Helping Russia in Ukraine War
Belarus has been accused of being involved in Russia's invasion of Ukraine as the country's northern part served as a staging ground for Kremlin troops to enter Ukraine.
Minsk, which has also hosted diplomatic talks between the two in early March, had also revealed that after Ukraine, Russia's next target could be Moldova.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had addressed his security council standing in front of a map, which showed Russian lines of attack in Ukraine and targets in Moldova's breakaway region.
It came as fighting is intensifying near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv as the Kremlin troops are attempting to encircle the capital and other cities under the massive shelling.
In the early hours of Saturday, Russian missile and air strikes caused damage to the north and south of Kyiv.
Chernihiv, which is located nearly 100 km north of the Ukrainian capital, is also facing massive shelling. The city's main landmark a hotel named Ukraine was hit overnight.
Vyacheslav Chaus, head of Chernihiv region administration, said, "I am here now. There is no hotel anymore."
Chaus continued to say that Russia's air and missile strikes are targeting infrastructures and killing civilians and injuring innocents as the war has entered the 17th day.
