Belarus's authoritarian leader, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, says his military is not taking part in the February 24 Russian attack on Ukraine, state media reported.
"Our armed forces are not taking part in this operation," said Lukashenka, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Moscow has stationed thousands of troops in Belarus and has most recently participated in military maneuvers there with some 30,000 troops.
The exercises were scheduled to end this week but were extended prior to the Russian attack on Ukraine.
Many Western leaders said the exercises were being used to cover Russian intentions prior to the attack on Ukraine.
Video on social media has purported to show Russian troops crossing into Ukraine from Belarus.
And Ukraine’s border guard agency reported an artillery barrage by Russian troops from Belarus.
Putin made an early morning call to Lukashenka to inform him that Moscow was launching a military operation on Ukraine, Lukashenka’s office said.
"Around 5 a.m. today there was a telephone conversation between the presidents of Belarus and Russia," Lukashenka’s office said.
“During the call, Vladimir Putin informed his Belarusian colleague about the situation on the border with Ukraine and in Donbas," it said.
