A pivotal moment in the Russia-Ukraine conflict will occur in the coming months, Ivan Tertel, the head of the State Security Committee of Belarus (KGB), has said. Russia launched its military operation in the neighboring country in February.
“If the Russian Federation properly conducts mobilization, ensures that its military force [involved in the fighting with Ukraine] has equipment and advanced weapons, combat will enter a key phase,” Tertel said during a briefing on Tuesday, as quoted by the news agency BelTA.
“According to our assessment, the inflection point will come between November and February,” he added.
The statement comes after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that his country had begun forming a joint military force with Russia. He cited tensions with NATO as the reason for the move.
Russia stepped up strikes on major Ukrainian cities on Monday, hitting targets in Kiev for the first time in months. President Vladimir Putin said that the strikes on military command centers and energy infrastructure were retaliation for “terrorist attacks” on Russian soil.