Lukashenko Floats Mobilization, Says Attacking Neighbors Would Be ‘Tantamount to Death’

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said the country could test its armed forces “up to and including mobilization,” while insisting that attacking neighboring states would be “tantamount to death” for Belarus on Friday, Sept. 11.According to Belarusian state news agency BelTA, Lukashenko made the remarks during a visit to the Obuz-Lesnovsky combined-arms training ground near Baranavichy.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.“I already said it in plain language: the army needs to be shaken up. The time has come. The whole army. We will check everyone,” Lukashenko said.His statement did not amount to an announcement of an immediate nationwide mobilization. He provided no details about how many reservists could be called up or when such an exercise might take place.Lukashenko said an artillery brigade was currently undergoing an inspection at his order, following earlier checks of tank and motorized rifle units.“We are doing everything as it would be in war,” he said, adding that the exercises incorporated lessons from modern military conflicts.“We could not win such a conflict”In separate remarks during the military visit, Lukashenko claimed Belarus had no plans to attack its neighbors.“We are pragmatists. We understand that if we attacked someone, one of our neighbors, for example, it would be tantamount to death,” he said, according to remarks published by the Pul Pervogo Telegram channel and reported by RBC-Ukraine.“We could not win a conflict against the ‘monsters’ located around our perimeter. Why start a war then?” he added. Other Topics of Interest ‘Weeks, Not Months’: Ukraine’s FP-7 Ballistic Missile Could Soon Strike Russia Fire Point says the 200-km FP-7 has passed two testing stages, while its longer-range FP-9 is undergoing flight tests. Lukashenko said Belarus would never attack first but insisted that its authorities had an obligation to protect “every millimeter” of the country’s territory, even if doing so cost lives.The Belarusian leader also asked Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin whether the military command system could be deployed if war broke out.“What if there is a war?” Lukashenko asked.“We are ready to deploy,” Khrenin replied.The defense minister said the system could manage the armed forces, government agencies, and the civilian sector during a conflict.“What we have now, we could only dream about five years ago,” Khrenin said.Belarus and Russia’s warDespite Lukashenko’s assurances, Belarus remains Russia’s closest regional ally and has played a significant supporting role in Moscow’s war against Ukraine.Minsk allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory and military infrastructure to launch its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russian troops, aircraft, and weapons have continued operating from the country, although Belarus has not formally deployed its forces to fight in Ukraine.Belarus also borders three NATO members – Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia – and frequently conducts joint military exercises with Russia, fueling security concerns along the alliance’s eastern 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.