Four Belarusian aircraft were reportedly shot down this weekend in the sky of Bryansk, a Russian region on the border with Ukraine and Belarus. Neither side admitted the facts.
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko announced Monday that his country has been on “high alert” since “four aircraft were shot down” over the weekend in Russia, which Moscow has not officially acknowledged.
On Saturday, Russian news agencies reported that a helicopter had crashed in the Bryansk region bordering Ukraine, citing an “engine fire”.
Other sources, however, reported four aircraft shot down by Ukraine in total in the sky of Bryansk, two helicopters and two planes, which the Russian army, not very forthcoming about its losses, has never confirmed, nor reversed.
But, during a visit to the command center of the Belarusian air force, Alexander Lukashenko, the main ally of the Kremlin, reported “alarming” developments which prompted Minsk to be put on “high alert higher”.
“I mean the Bryansk region, where four aircraft were shot down,” said the Belarusian leader, quoted in a statement released by the presidency.
The Briansk region borders both Ukraine and Belarus.
The vagueness around his state of health
These statements attributed by the presidency to Alexander Lukashenko come as his absence from several public events in recent days has fueled speculation about the state of health of the 68-year-old leader.
The Belarusian presidency released three photos of Alexander Lukashenko in an apparent effort to counter such speculation. On these shots, the leader has a fixed look and a tired look, his left hand wrapped in bandages.
Alexander Lukashenko’s last filmed public appearance was on May 9, when he traveled to Moscow to attend ceremonies commemorating the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.
Several Russian journalists then pointed out that he looked tired. Moreover, he had not attended a lunch hosted by Vladimir Putin, had not addressed Belarusian veterans on May 9 in Minsk, breaking with tradition, and had missed national festivities in Belarus on Sunday.
On Monday, the leader of the Belarusian opposition in exile, Svetlana Tikhanovskaïa, underlined the “many rumors circulating about the state of health of the dictator Lukashenko”, calling on her fellow citizens to “be well prepared for any scenario”.
Asked about the Belarusian leader’s state of health, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called on journalists on Monday to “trust only official information”.
