A distraction for Alexander Lukashenko in Kiev’s military successes in Russia? Ukraine has placed more than 120,000 soldiers on its borders with Belarus, the Belarusian president claimed today Sunday, pointing out that Minsk has deployed almost a third of its armed forces across the border.

He did not say exactly how many troops have been deployed. The professional army of Belarus numbers about 48,000 soldiers and about 12,000 soldiers on state borders, according to the 2022 report on the Military Balance of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

“Seeing their aggressive policy, we have presented there and placed in certain places – in case of war, it will be a defense – our army along the entire border,” Lukashenko said in an interview on Russian state television.

Kyiv did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Yesterday, Saturday, Kiev stated that has seen no signs of Belarusian gathering troops at the border.

The Belarusian leader, his loyal ally Vladimir Putinwas speaking in the shadow of an invasion by Ukrainian troops into Russia that began on August 6, when thousands of Kiev troops crossed Russia’s western border in a major blow to Putin’s military leadership. The aim of Minsk and Moscow is probably to Ukrainian forces are committed to the border with Belarus.

“Poland wants to invade Belarus, but it will be a real war” Lukashenko further claimed.

Lukashenko added that Belarus and Russia “could develop a plan to attack Poland.”

According to him, Moscow and Minsk have a “well-developed plan” for the defense of the western border of Belarus. But “if necessary, this plan can change to offensive’.

Belarus Defense Minister Viktor Chrenin said on Friday that there is a high possibility of an armed provocation from neighboring Ukraine and that the situation on the border between the two countries “remains tense”.

Lukashenko said the Belarus-Ukraine border was mined “like never before” and that Ukrainian troops would suffer huge casualties if they tried to cross it.