The Armed Forces of Belarus will deploy special forces to the border of Ukraine because "the United States and its allies continue to increase their military presence at the state borders," according to the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Viktor Gulevich.
"In order to ensure the security of the Republic of Belarus in the southern direction, the forces of the units of the special operations forces are deployed in three tactical directions," according to a statement Tuesday.
It said the Ukrainians had created a force of 20,000 close to the Belarus border, which "requires a response from us."
"The appearance in the waters of the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas of a group carrying sea and air-based cruise missiles, an increase in the aviation group in the countries of Poland and the Baltic states indicate a growing threat to the Republic of Belarus," the statement said.
"As part of the second stage of checking the immediate reaction forces, battalion-tactical groups were sent to the Western and North-Western operational directions. To strengthen them, air defense, missile forces and artillery units are being moved forward to ensure their combat functioning," the statement continued.
Earlier today, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said the country has started the second stage of inspection of its army's reaction forces, according to video commentary posted on the Telegram account of Belarusian state media Belta.