Belarus Says Ukraine Amassing Troops At Border; Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Suffers Drone Attack

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has warned Sunday that Ukraine is also amassing troops on Belarus’ border amid the ongoing incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast. Lukashenko alleged that Kiev has positioned more than 120,000 soldiers along its border with Belarus and this is being deemed an act of ‘aggression’ by military authorities. But it is curious where Ukraine got the manpower for this, if accurate.

State-run BelTA quoted Lukashenko as saying, “Seeing their aggressive policy, we have introduced there and placed in certain points – in case of war, they would be defense – our military along the entire border.”

West Asia News Agency/Reuters

Thus he made it clear that Belarusian forces could counter-attack into Ukraine if Minsk observes any Ukrainian incursion on its sovereign territory.

These extreme border tensions are nothing new, given Belarus has long been a logistics hub and staging ground for Russia’s Ukraine operations; however, the whole Kursk shock cross-border operation has certainly upped the ante.

While these constitute serious threats from Lukashenko, it is as yet unclear how many regular army troops have been sent to bolster the state security services’ some 12,000 border guards already typically deployed.

Meanwhile, Russia has launched another ballistic missile attack on Kiev in retaliation for the Kursk invasion. This one was an early morning Sunday assault, with the Kyiv City Military Administration stating on Telegram: “This is the third ballistic missile attack on the capital in August with a clear interval of six days between each attack.” Drones were also sent, with Ukraine’s military saying it intercepted all of them.

Also, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has issued new warnings and concerns over the situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which since early in the war has been occupied by Russian troops and authorities. The IAEA warned the safety of the complex is “deteriorating” following a nearby weekend drone strike. The IAEA further—

…warned on Saturday of an escalation in the security dangers at the plant, reporting “intense” military activity over the past week in the area, including very close to the plant.

…IAEA experts on site reported that the damage “seemed to have been caused by a drone equipped with an explosive payload”, affecting the road between the plant’s two main gates.

No biggie. Just a drone strike just outside the nuclear plant’s protected area near the essential cooling water sprinkler ponds and about 100 meters from the only remaining power supply to the facility… https://t.co/ftksyZyFWj

— Jonathan M. Metzl (@JonathanMetzl) August 18, 2024

It seems the Ukrainians are attempting to stage a provocation in a desperate act following accusations from President Zelensky last week that the Russians set fire to the plant.

Fighting inside Kursk is still intense, with Ukraine forces have destroyed a second key bridge, which strongly suggests they plan to seek to hold territory for significantly longer. The Associated Press details on Sunday:

Ukraine has destroyed a key bridge in Russia’s Kursk region and struck a second one nearby, less than two weeks into its stunning cross-border incursion, disrupting Russian supply routes and possibly signaling that its troops are planning to dig in.

Russia’s pro-Kremlin military bloggers have acknowledged that the destruction of the first bridge, which spanned the Seim River near the town of Glushkovo, will impede deliveries of supplies to Russian forces repelling Ukraine’s incursion, although Moscow could still use pontoons and smaller bridges in the area. Ukraine’s air force chief, Lt. Mykola Oleshchuk, on Friday released a video of a Ukrainian airstrike that split the bridge in two.

Less than two days later, Ukrainian troops hit a second bridge in Russia, according to Oleshchuk and the Russian regional governor, Alexei Smirnov.

Still, Russian defense ministry statements continue to try and paint a positive picture, with a top ranking Commander Major General Apty Alaudinov telling TASS on Sunday “Our situation is completely under control.”

Ukraine War Update: “Kursk Incursion”
Latest map from @TheStudyofWar as of 8 PM CET, 17th August:
– Borders shown are estimated based on available information.
– Map supported by military sources, with events corroborated by geolocated images and videos. pic.twitter.com/owqoLz5mcU

— EU Made Simple (@EU_Made_Simple) August 17, 2024

“The enemy is trying to break through into our territory around the clock. All these attempts end with the elimination of the enemy and the burning of the equipment. That is why we are destroying the enemy’s reserves,” he told TASS.