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Belarus Shoots Down Missile Launched From Ukraine

Russia's key ally Belarus said Thursday it shot down an air defence missile launched from Ukrainian territory, in the first such incident reported by Minsk since the start of Moscow's Ukraine offensive


Ukrainian servicemen pose on a T-80 tank in an undisclosed location in eastern Ukraine on December 29, 2022, amid Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Sameer Al-DOUMY / AFP)
Ukrainian servicemen pose on a T-80 tank in an undisclosed location in eastern Ukraine on December 29, 2022, amid Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Sameer Al-DOUMY / AFP)

 

Russia’s key ally Belarus said Thursday it shot down an air defence missile launched from Ukrainian territory, in the first such incident reported by Minsk since the start of Moscow’s Ukraine offensive

Belarusian authorities summoned Ukraine’s ambassador over the missile, hours after a new wave of Russian missile strikes triggered Kyiv’s air defences.

The Belarus defence ministry said a missile was shot down around 10 am local time (0700 GMT) with its debris discovered in a village in the western Brest region that borders Ukraine and Poland.

“It was preliminarily established that the fragments belonged to an S-300 anti-aircraft guided missile launched from the territory of Ukraine,” the ministry said in a statement.

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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko “was immediately informed” of the incident, a Telegram channel close to the presidency said earlier.

The Belarusian foreign ministry summoned Ukraine’s ambassador.

“A strong protest was made in connection with the launch of an S-300 anti-aircraft guided missile from the territory of Ukraine,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Minsk demanded an immediate investigation of the incident, saying such incidents could lead to “catastrophic consequences” and should not again, the statement said.

In November, a missile landed in a village in NATO member Poland and killed two people, also sparking concern the US-led alliance would be drawn into the conflict in Ukraine.

Russia denies having fired the missile, while Warsaw said it was likely caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile launched to intercept Russian attacks.

Russia has used Belarus as a launching pad for its Ukraine offensive.

In October, Belarus said it was establishing a joint regional force with Moscow, with several thousand Russian servicemen arriving in the ex-Soviet country.

The move has fuelled concern Minsk could also send troops to Ukraine.