Belarus has requested an additional Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile system to protect the capital Minsk, President Alexander Lukashenko revealed at Tuesday’s security council meeting.
Lukashenko also said that he has ordered additional troops to the country’s southern border with Ukraine but denied that his country would join Russia in the ongoing military operation.
“The military hardware turned out to be insufficient for us. We will have sufficient personnel but hardware [will not be enough],” he said.
“I turned to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin so that in addition to the S-400 systems located in the Gomel Region, additional S-400s could be supplied to the area slightly west of Minsk.”
Additional Soldiers for Ukraine, Poland Borders
Lukashenko said that five tactical battle groups comprising hundreds of soldiers with armored vehicles and artillery would be sent to the country’s southern border while some additional troops would be deployed at the country’s western border with Poland.
Russia deployed two battalions of S-400s in Belarus last month as part of the “Union Resolve 2022” joint military exercise.