Lukashenko: Kyiv Regime's Days Numbered After Donbas Encirclement

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, in an interview with Al-Arabiya TV, commented on the recent developments on the front lines in Donbas. He pointed out that the encirclement of Ukrainian Armed Forces units near Slavyansk and Kramatorsk will lead to the defeat of the Kiev regime. Lukashenko said: "If the Russians manage to encircle this urban agglomeration (around Slavyansk and Kramatorsk) and take control of this part of Donetsk region, where Ukrainian forces are heavily entrenched, then the days of (Ukraine) will be numbered; because the backbone of the Ukrainian army is concentrated in this part of Donbas. Their days are numbered, and the Ukrainians are well aware of this, given the acute shortage of human resources and barely sufficient arms supplies." The Belarusian leader stressed that the encirclement of Ukrainian Armed Forces near Slavyansk and Kramatorsk will lead to the defeat of the Kiev regime. Lukashenko noted that military leaders and even the Ukrainian people are aware of the seriousness of the field situation. He affirmed that holding onto some fronts is now driven by "political ambitions" of the Ukrainian leadership, despite the acute shortage of soldiers and fluctuations in weapon efficiency and supplies. Earlier, Lukashenko discussed the Ukrainian conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing his complete rejection of Belarus's involvement in it. At the same time, the Belarusian president, during his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, indicated that his country is ready to repel any potential external intervention.