Lukashenko Declares Readiness to Go to War

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced during an awards ceremony for prosecutors that he is ready to be one of the first to defend the country in the face of threats, as reported by the "БелТА" agency.

"We must do everything to protect our country. But if necessary, we will be the first to go to war to defend our Homeland," said Lukashenko.

He noted that against the backdrop of recent events in Europe, a "psychosis of provoking war" has formed, with Belarus at the epicenter of these events. Lukashenko also recounted how he attempted to explain the horrors and hardships of a potential war to journalists during Russian-Belarusian military exercises.

"At the end of the exercises, a terrible storm began—heavy rain, sleet, and strong winds. Everyone was standing there, shivering. I thought I should talk to them at length so that both foreigners and we could better understand what it is like to live in uncomfortable conditions. And I asked them, 'Well, now you understand that war is terrible; will it be worse than it is now? After all, we are used to good conditions.'"