The violation of Belarusian airspace by a Ukrainian missile is extremely concerning to the Kremlin, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Friday. He said Belarus shared Russia’s view and that the two nations were in contact about the situation.
“The highest possible level of mutual dialogue and the trust it entails allows us to exchange the most sensitive information in a swift manner,” he said. He added that Minsk had taken “a number of steps” after the incident, including issuing a complaint to Kiev.
On Thursday, the Belarusian military reported shooting down a missile that had entered its airspace from Ukraine. It had been fired from an S-300 long-range anti-aircraft system, the report said.
Kirill Kazantsev, the Belarusian air defense chief, has stated that Minsk believes either the missile experienced a technical malfunction or that the operators of the S-300 system were inadequately trained, or that the violation was a deliberate provocation.
Belarus is a key military ally of Russia and has allowed the use of its territory for the military operation against Ukraine, but has declined to contribute troops. Kiev has claimed that Belarusian involvement is greater than acknowledged.
Authorities in Belarus have reported several prior episodes in which Ukrainian troops or drones allegedly crossed the border between the two nations. Minsk has suggested they were intentional provocations, possibly carried out at the direction of Western nations supporting the Ukrainian government.