Belarus Begins Preparing Army Units for War, Lukashenko Says

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that the country's armed forces will begin selectively mobilizing individual military units as part of preparations for potential wartime scenarios.

Speaking during public events marking Victory Day commemorations, Lukashenko said Belarus would continue strengthening combat readiness while still hoping to avoid direct military conflict.

The Belarusian leader said the country would mobilize specific military units in stages in order to prepare them for war, while expressing hope that such a conflict could ultimately be avoided.

Lukashenko stressed that Minsk remains committed to peace but argued that the Belarusian army must remain fully prepared for combat operations under increasingly unstable geopolitical conditions.

Belarus Expands Military Readiness

The statement comes amid growing security tensions across Eastern Europe and continuing military confrontation between Russia and Ukraine. Belarus, Russia's closest military ally in the region, has significantly expanded defense exercises, mobilization drills, and joint military planning over the past several years.

Belarusian officials have repeatedly warned about what they describe as mounting military pressure from NATO countries bordering the republic, particularly Poland and the Baltic states.

Although Lukashenko did not announce a nationwide mobilization, his remarks suggest Belarus intends to intensify targeted military preparedness measures within key combat formations.

Lukashenko Warns Against 'Modern Fascism'

During a separate speech delivered after a wreath-laying ceremony at the Victory Monument in Minsk, Lukashenko sharply criticized nationalist and anti-Soviet movements in Eastern Europe.

He argued that the enemies of Belarus are not ordinary nations or peoples, but rather ideological descendants of wartime collaborators, SS formations, and anti-Soviet partisan groups commonly referred to as the "Forest Brothers.”

Lukashenko said the "Banner of Victory” remains in the hands of Belarus and declared that the country continues to fight for historical truth, the legacy of victory in World War II, and the sovereign right to determine its own future.

The Belarusian president added that modern fascism may have changed its appearance, but not its essence. According to him, ideas of national superiority continue to inflict new wounds on the world.

Historical Memory Remains Central to Belarusian Policy

Lukashenko specifically criticized actions in neighboring countries that he believes undermine the memory of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. He pointed to the removal of Soviet military memorials in the Lithuanian city of Šiauliai and condemned attempts to portray the Soviet wartime achievement as a myth.

The Belarusian government has increasingly positioned the preservation of Soviet historical memory as a key element of state ideology. Victory Day celebrations remain among the most important political and symbolic events in the country.

Officials in Minsk frequently argue that Belarus faces not only military and political pressure from abroad, but also ideological pressure aimed at rewriting the history of World War II and weakening Belarusian sovereignty.

Military and Political Signals to the West

Lukashenko's latest remarks are likely to be interpreted as both a domestic political message and a warning directed at Western governments. Belarus continues to deepen military coordination with Russia while simultaneously reinforcing internal defense structures.

Analysts note that Minsk increasingly presents military readiness as a necessary safeguard against regional instability, especially as tensions between Russia and NATO remain high and the conflict in Ukraine continues without a comprehensive settlement.