12:30 PM EDT, Fri March 31, 2023, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko attends a news conference with Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi (not pictured) in Tehran, Iran, March 13, 2023. Exiled Belarusian pro-democracy leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has urged the world not to forget about her nations struggle against political oppression and Russian domination. Its border with Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland will be one of the new dividing lines between the democratic West and Putin's autocratic empire. And due to the publics anxiety about the conflict, Poland has been training civilians as soldiers. Lukashenko welcomes Putin's plan to station Russian nukes in Belarus A Warner Bros. IBT Fast Start - Let the best of International News come to you. While tactical warheads are designed for use in a limited battlefield, for example to destroy a command post or a column of tanks, strategic nuclear warheads are designed to destroy entire cities. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday set in motion an expedited process for the chamber to consider a clean two-year suspension of the federal debt ceiling, a Schumer spokesman said. Who is benefitting from the Poland-Belarus border crisis? The head of the border committee of Belarus, Anatoly Lappo, claimed that Poland was acting provocatively, and that if any Polish attack takes place against Belarusian border officials, Belarus will not hold back. Warsaw will melt and Vilnius will drown. Belarus Joining Ukraine War Could Be 'Devastating' to - Newsweek As a key NATO ally that shares a 332-mile border with Ukraine, Poland has been quietly bracing for the worst. Following Lukashenko's alleged victory for a sixth term, the European Council on 19 August decided that the elections were neither free nor fair, therefore do not recognize the results. Polish border officials said the border crossing in Kuznica, in the northeast, will be closed early Tuesday. Ramzan Kadyrov, a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has begun rattling off threats about attacking Poland after Ukraine. [Ukraine: Russian missile strike injures 34 as Kyivs military pushes Bakhmut counter-attack]. Home Army monument in Stryjewka, Home Army soldiers' quarters in Mikulishki, cemetery in Surkanty, Home Army graves and commemorations in Bogdany (Yewlashy), Bobravichy, Vialikija Yodkavichy, Vawkavysk, Dyndylishki, Kachychy, Iwye, Pieskawtsy, Ashmyany and Plebanishki.[14][15]. "Russia does not . If necessary, Putin and I will decide and introduce strategic nuclear weapons here. Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin, too, said Russias war in Ukraine has resulted in national security threats to Belarus, in particular, due to other countries eyeing Belarus as a Russian ally. All Rights Reserved. Poland Warned After Putin Vows to Arm Belarus With Nukes After the Soviet invasion of Poland of September 1939, the partition of Belarus and Ukraine ended on Soviet terms. Some in the crowd tried to enter Poland by cutting a border fence or battering it with logs. The advice follows a similar recommendation given in September to Poles in Russia, a close ally of Belarus. How the Russia-Ukraine Crisis Is Turning Poland Into a Strategic Player Our refitted aircraft can also carry nuclear munitions, Lukashenko said, according to Belta. Lukashenko says Russian missiles will protect Belarus from West. Migrants gather on the Belarusian-Polish border. Published U.S. officials have warned that Russia is likely gearing up for a new onslaught as well. They say they are allegedly very concerned about Belarus' entering the war and yet at the same time they continue provocations on the border.. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. Nonetheless, Belarus is interpreting the rotational presence as a provocation, falling in line with Russia's claims that NATO has long been provoking Moscow. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has welcomed thousands of Russian troops to his country, allowed the Kremlin to use it to launch the invasion of Ukraine last year, and offered to station some of Moscow's tactical nuclear weapons there. Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionals, Reporting by Alan Charlish and Marek Strzelecki; Editing by John Stonestreet, Hugh Lawson and Alison Williams, Ukrainian defenders oust Russian forces from some positions in Bakhmut - Ukraine general, US believes Russians in Ukraine have suffered 100,000 casualties in 5 months, Britain's Cleverly expects to meet Chinese vice president this week, French police clash with black-clad anarchists during May Day rallies, Schumer sets expedited process to consider clean debt ceiling suspension, British royals release photo of a beaming Princess Charlotte, Normalising China-Australia trade will take more than a political fix, Protests in Paraguay as losing candidates calls for recount, Australia to pay soldiers bonus to stay as strategic risks rise. [6] Both minorities represent autochthonous populations of the region and are officially recognised by their host governments. He baselessly accused Western countries of "preparing to invade" Belarus from Poland and "destroy" it. Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Frances Kerry, Ukrainian defenders oust Russian forces from some positions in Bakhmut - Ukraine general, US believes Russians in Ukraine have suffered 100,000 casualties in 5 months, Britain's Cleverly expects to meet Chinese vice president this week, French police clash with black-clad anarchists during May Day rallies, Schumer sets expedited process to consider clean debt ceiling suspension, British royals release photo of a beaming Princess Charlotte, Normalising China-Australia trade will take more than a political fix, Protests in Paraguay as losing candidates calls for recount, Australia to pay soldiers bonus to stay as strategic risks rise.