Belarusian Concerns Over Involvement in Ukraine Conflict

Belarusians are concerned about being drawn into the war between Russia and Ukraine, as thousands of men in Belarus attend military drills amid fears of involvement. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has welcomed Russian troops to his country and offered to station some of Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons there, but has avoided having Belarus take part directly in the fighting. Further involvement could rekindle public anger against him and erode his grip on power. The deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus is deeply unpopular and could make Belarusians hostages in case of an escalation.