Lukashenko: Our Border Guards Are Constantly on Combat Readiness

The President of Belarus has approved the measures to safeguard the state border — a customary annual procedure.

At the Independence Palace, reports on the current situation along the borders were presented by the Chair of the State Border Committee and the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that the situation remains tense, and there are no signs of easing. As such, the decision to reinforce border security is more relevant than ever.

"Our border guards are constantly at combat readiness. They have no other mode — it's always full combat alert. They are prepared to operate as if in wartime, because at the final meters, as we say, our homeland’s honor and right to walk are entrusted to them," the President stated.

Lukashenko highlighted that affirming high-level border security measures at the start of each year is a long-standing military tradition. "Today, countering border threats is more critical than ever," he stressed.

The President approved plans for border protection by the border service authorities and in the airspace for 2026.

He pointed out that the security environment around Belarus is not calming down: "We have always faced serious threats. Unfortunately, today’s trends show that stability is not returning. Looking at the map, we see that we are almost surrounded by military units on all sides. The only relatively lighter area is the eastern border with Russia. But especially in light of recent events in Ukraine, where drones could potentially fly into our territory from unknown sources, we must be honest — we have yet to fully learn how to respond to these incursions or eliminate them entirely. Perhaps achieving 100% efficiency is impossible, but that must remain our goal," Lukashenko asserted.

Following the reports, decisions were signed to strengthen border security and airspace defense.

According to the State Border Committee, on the Baltic and Polish directions, a force grouping of over 11,000 personnel from neighboring states currently operates. Over the past year, there have been about 60 provocations from Ukraine, 20 of which involved drones flying into Belarusian territory.

The Head of State reiterated that the situation on Belarus’s borders remains traditionally tense. "Our northern and western borders are seeing continuous military buildup by neighboring states, and for understandable reasons, our southern border, where active hostilities are ongoing in Ukraine," he said.

The briefing outlined key tasks for the border agencies this year, including the expansion of the force deployment system. Plans include constructing five additional border outposts on the Ukrainian front — a similar number to those built in 2025.

Kostantin Molostov, Chairman of the State Border Committee:

"Today, the situation around our borders remains predictably tense. This applies to our northern and western borders, where neighboring countries are steadily increasing their military potential, as well as our southern border, where fighting continues in Ukraine."

The Minister of Defense highlights ongoing militarization efforts in European countries. The aggressive posture and intentions against Belarus persist, Viktor Khrenin noted.

Viktor Khrenin, Belarusian Defense Minister:

"European countries have deployed a force of various aviation assets — over 2,200 aircraft. The grouping in Poland and the Baltic states reaches up to 130 aircraft, having peaked at around 140 tactical planes last year. We also observe American strategic bombers conducting training and combat missions aimed at striking our territory."

He further reported that in 2025, the Belarusian Air Force and Air Defense Forces received modern equipment to counter drones, including new Su-30SM fighters, Mi-35 helicopters, and advanced radar detection systems — enabling detailed situational awareness.