Lukashenko announces an inspection of the entire Belarusian army and says that the country is preparing for a possible war

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has announced an inspection of the entire army, up to the mobilization level, amid regional tensions and repeated warnings from Ukraine. The statement came after tank and motorized infantry units were inspected, while checks are continuing at an artillery brigade.

“The army needs to be shaken up. We will inspect everyone,” Lukashenko said, arguing that Belarus is preparing for war in order to prevent it from breaking out. The Minsk leader also said that his youngest son, Nikolai, serves in the army with the rank of lieutenant, in a unit about which he provided no details.

The statements come amid Kyiv’s concerns over increased military activity in Belarus and the country’s possible involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine. In April 2026, Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Moscow might try to draw Belarus into the conflict.

In June, the Ukrainian president said that Belarus was building road infrastructure and facilities for storing ammunition and fuel near the border with Ukraine. Zelensky called on Lukashenko to remove the relays used to guide Russian drone attacks, threatening that Ukraine would neutralize them. Less than a week later, he announced that the relays had stopped functioning.