Russian ally Belarus warns of World War III

The president of Belarus made the comments following a Polish proposal to deploy a Western peacekeeping force in Ukraine

Belarus' authoritarian leader has warned that a Polish proposal to deploy a Western peacekeeping force in Ukraine could trigger World War III.

President Alexander Lukashenko, who has allowed his ally Russia to use Belarus' territory to launch an invasion of Ukraine, pointed Thursday at Poland's offer of a peacekeeping mission made last week, saying “it will mean World War III”. “The situation is very serious and very tense,” he added.

Lukashenko's comment follows Russian President Vladimir Putin's warning at the start of the invasion of Ukraine that any foreign interference with Moscow's military action would trigger an immediate Russian response that will lead to “the consequences you have never seen in your history.” A few days after the start of the invasion, Putin ordered to put Russia's nuclear forces on special regime of combat duty.

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A local government official in the northern city of Chernihiv has said a “catastrophe” is unfolding for the population as Russian troops deliberately target food stores in a near-month-long siege. An airstrike this week destroyed a bridge over the Desna River, which was a crucial route to bring in food and other aid from Ukraine-controlled territory further south.

“Humanitarian help, medicines and food used to be delivered into the city via this bridge,” city council secretary Olexander Lomako told The Associated Press in an audio message.

He estimated that more than 130,000 people are left in the city out of a pre-war population of 285,000 but that Ukraine remains in full control. “Chernihiv is under total control of Ukrainian army, Ukrainian flag waves here,” he said.

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