Russia reveals response method in case Belarus is attacked

Specifically, Moscow's special envoy to Belarus warned that Russia would consider any attack on Belarus an act of aggression against Russia, and would use all of its military capabilities to retaliate.

Speaking to Belarusian television station STV, diplomat Boris Gryzlov, who formerly served as Russia's interior minister, warned any third party against targeting the country's key ally.

“Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it clear that in the event of an attack on Belarus, we will consider it an attack on Russia. The military doctrine of the Russian Federation stipulates that in such a case we will respond with all our weapons,” Gryzlov said, apparently referring to a nuclear strike.

Since the conflict between Moscow and Kiev broke out, Russia and Belarus have stepped up military cooperation. Earlier this year, Russia announced the deployment of its nuclear weapons in Belarus, after repeated requests from Minsk to do so.

Belarus' leadership has cited aggressive Western policies and the threat from US nuclear weapons stationed in Washington's European allies.

Belarus has been at loggerheads with its largest EU neighbor, Poland, in recent years. Relations between the two countries have deteriorated since Belarus’s 2020 elections. Warsaw, like the EU as a whole, openly supported the Belarusian opposition in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to overthrow President Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has further damaged those ties. Poland has reacted angrily to Russia’s nuclear deployment in Belarus, and has repeatedly warned against what it says are the activities of the Wagner group, a Russian private military company that was re-deployed in Belarus after the June uprising.

Warsaw claims that the private military company is increasing its activities near its border, with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki claiming that it is “definitely a step towards an imminent combined attack on Polish territory.” Belarus has denied the allegations, however, insisting that Warsaw is “exacerbating” the situation on behalf of the United States.