Wojciech Skurkiewicz told public broadcaster Polish Radio on Friday that recent visits by Russian officials to Belarus “were no coincidence.”
He added that another Russian assault on Ukraine’s Kyiv would require support from Minsk.
Polish Radio asked Skurkiewicz if Russia could again attack Ukraine from the north, targeting the capital Kyiv to cut off the supply of weaponry, fuel and medicines.
Skurkiewicz said: “This won’t happen without the consent of Belarus and without dragging Belarus into the conflict.”
He added: “The recent frequent visits by senior Russian officials to Minsk were no coincidence.”
"According to our information, military hardware is unquestionably being sent to various locations in western or southern Belarus, near the border with Ukraine,” Skurkiewicz told Polish Radio in an interview.
He added that "this activity may translate into military operations next year,” Polish Radio's IAR news agency reported.
Skurkiewicz also said in the interview that "without the direct involvement of Belarus in the war," Russia would not be able to attack western and northwestern Ukraine.
He told Polish Radio that Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 included an attack from Belarusian territory in the north, "without which the tragedy of the civilian population in towns around Kyiv, such as Bucha and Hostomel, would not have taken place.”
Skurkiewicz said that for now, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko appeared reluctant to enter the war in Ukraine, “but will he be so reluctant a week or a month from now?”
Friday is day 303 of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, wpolityce.pl