Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warned on Tuesday that should Russia collapse, Belarus will "remain under the rubble" and everyone "will perish."
"It was painful to watch the events that took place in the south of Russia. Not only for me. Many of our citizens took them to heart," Lukashenko said during a ceremony that took place at the Independence Palace.
For all these reasons, Minsk took the stance it did and offered a deal to the Wagner Group, Lukashenko explained. He went on to say that the threat of "a new global conflict has never been as close as it is today." He blamed the collective West for trying to mislead others about its "real plans and intentions."