Russia-Ukraine war: Belarus protests after allegedly shooting down stray Ukrainian air defense missile

Belarus protested to its Ukrainian ambassador following the report of its defense ministry shooting down an alleged Ukrainian stray air defense missile. The incident comes amidst a major aerial assault by Russian forces across Ukraine, the largest since it invaded on February 24.

A video of the incident was shared on social media by the Belarusian state-owned BeITA news outlet. The Brest region’s military commissar Oleg Konovalov said the locals have nothing to worry about, but “unfortunately, these things happen.”

Konovalov compared the latest incident to one that happened in November when an S-300 missile allegedly strayed after it was launched by Ukrainian forces and landed on the territory of NATO member Poland which led to fears of a rapid escalation.

Despite the assurance, the Belarusian foreign ministry in Minsk summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to issue a formal protest.

“The Belarusian side views this incident as extremely serious,” said spokesperson Anatoly Glaz. “We demanded that the Ukrainian side conduct a thorough investigation…hold those responsible to account and take comprehensive measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.”

The Ukrainian defense ministry said that it was willing to invite authoritative experts from countries that have condemned Russia for the war it is waging on Ukraine to participate in the investigation of the incident. The ministry described the incident as a result of the repulsion of a “barbaric” Russian missile strike that hit civilian targets in Ukraine.

“The Ukrainian side, reserving the unconditional right to the defense and protection of its own sky, at the same time is ready to conduct an objective investigation in Ukraine,” said the ministry in a statement, adding that it does not rule out a “deliberate provocation” where Russia launched its own cruise missiles on a trajectory where they would be intercepted over Belarusian territory.

On Friday, the British defense ministry said in its intelligence update on the war that the Russian Western Group of Forces in Ukraine would likely be led by Lieutenant General Yevgeniy Nikiforov, the fourth Russian officer to take over the unit since the invasion in February, replacing Colonel General Sergei Kuzovlev who led the unit for three months.

The ministry said that Nikiforov was likely already involved in planning the failed attempt by the Eastern Group of Forces to advance toward Kyiv, having served as the unit’s Chief of Staff.