Lukashenko Calls Himself, Putin ‘Co-Aggressors’ in Ukraine

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko declared on Friday, Oct. 2, that Belarus will remain unconditionally aligned with Russia in its war against Ukraine, joking that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin routinely debate which of them qualifies as the greater “co-aggressor.” Speaking in Minsk during a meeting with heads of delegations attending a session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, Lukashenko insisted that while he maintains distinct perspectives on specific dimensions of the conflict, Minsk will execute any decisions adopted by the Kremlin.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “In the end, we are ‘co-aggressors’ with him. We have one question, which we sometimes discuss jokingly: who is more of an ‘aggressor’ – me or him?” Lukashenko stated, according to Belarusian state news agency BelTA. Lukashenko reiterated that he has directly articulated his analytical assessments of the war to Putin, while assuring the Russian leadership of absolute loyalty regardless of operational developments on the front line. “I have my own understanding of individual aspects of the conflict in Ukraine, but we will always be committed to our common course,” Lukashenko said. “If you, the leadership of Russia, make a decision, we will always be with you, despite our particular understanding of what is happening there. We have never been traitors.” Other Topics of Interest Russia Hits Major Pharma Warehouse Near Kyiv The Russian strike ignited a fire at a major pharmaceutical warehouse belonging to distributor Venta. The Belarusian leader repeated his long-standing formulation that Minsk would “never allow anyone to shoot Russia in the back,” defining the geopolitical union between Belarus and Russia as an indivisible territory extending “from Brest to Vladivostok.” He suggested that other member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) could choose whether to integrate deeper into that perimeter, emphasizing that Minsk and Moscow have permanently committed to a unified economic, military, and political space. Mobilization drills Lukashenko’s public reaffirmation of solidarity with Moscow follows statements delivered in mid-September in which he balanced threats of domestic military inspections with assertions that Belarus would not initiate an armed assault against neighboring nations. During a visit to the Obuz-Lesnovsky combined-arms training ground near Baranavichy on Sept. 11, Lukashenko stated that the Belarusian armed forces required comprehensive readiness checks that could extend “up to and including mobilization.” He instructed Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin to verify that national command structures, civil administration bodies, and territorial defense reserves could deploy rapidly under wartime conditions. However, during that same military inspection, Lukashenko claimed that launching an offensive against adjacent countries would be suicidal for Belarus. Describing neighboring states as heavily armed powers positioned along the national frontier, Lukashenko asserted that initiating hostilities would be “tantamount to death,” insisting that Belarusian armed units would fight exclusively to defend domestic territory. Western military planners and regional analysts view Lukashenko’s dual rhetoric as a calibrated strategy to deter foreign pressure while preserving domestic political leverage, allowing Minsk to display verbal and logistical solidarity with the Kremlin without deploying organic Belarusian ground formations into direct combat in Ukraine. Enabling Moscow’s invasion Despite Lukashenko’s recurring disclaimers regarding direct combat participation, Belarus remains Moscow’s primary operational facilitator and regional staging ground in the war against Ukraine. In February 2022, Minsk permitted Russian forces to utilize Belarusian sovereign territory, rail corridors, and military airfields to launch the initial northern assault directed toward Kyiv. Russian formations have continuously operated radar stations, training installations, and electronic warfare facilities across Belarus, frequently staging missile strikes and drone overflights from Belarusian airspace. Belarus shares heavily fortified borders with Ukraine to the south and NATO member states Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia to the west and north. Minsk’s deepening military integration with Moscow – including the stationing of Russian tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil and recurring joint bilateral maneuvers – has prompted frontline NATO governments to reinforce border fortifications and scale rapid-reaction forces along the alliance’s northeastern flank. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.