His threatening announcement comes just days after he sent Ukraine a happy Independence Day message, when he made a point of wishing the country “peaceful skies.” Lukashenko, a longtime ally of Putin, wished Ukrainians “peaceful skies, tolerance, courage, strength and success in restoring a dignified life.” “I am convinced that today’s contradictions will not be able to destroy the centuries-old sincere good-neighborly relations between the peoples of the two countries. Belarus will continue to support the preservation of the agreement, the development of friendly and mutually respectful contacts at all levels,” Lukashenko said on Wednesday, the 31st anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union and, perhaps coincidentally, the six-month anniversary. sign of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier this year. Ukraine initially rejected the “cynical” greeting of the Belarusian leader. “Lukashenko really believes that the world does not notice his participation in crimes against [Ukraine]. And that’s why he cynically wishes for ‘peaceful skies’ by bombing us,” said Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “This bloody clown has been booked and there will be consequences.” The news that Belarusian Su-24 jets have been converted to carry Russian nukes coincides with Russia’s efforts to give the impression that Moscow is bolstering Putin’s fighting forces in Ukraine. Putin earlier this week ordered an increase in Russia’s armed forces by 137,000, aiming to have a total of 1.15 million troops on the hook. It was not clear whether Putin would rely on conscripts or finding volunteers. But if history and eyewitness accounts are any guide, it might not make a difference. Earlier efforts in the war to recruit more fighters for Ukraine did not go particularly smoothly. Russia announced an effort to recruit tens of thousands of fighters from the Middle East, an effort that a top US defense official said at the time did not appear to be genuine. Russian military leaders have at times had to resort to beating commanders and threatening them to sign contracts or face other consequences, according to a series of complaints filed with the Russian military prosecutor’s office throughout the war, obtained by information holders. “We are really faced with the ‘lawlessness’ of the commanders of the military units – my girlfriend’s grandson came back injured and told how the commanders beat them, forcing them to sign a contract,” said Gavrilyuk Elena Nikolaevna, according to The Acquaintance. “I ask you to speed up investigations into already known facts, identify those who treacherously sent conscripts to certain death, and judge everyone, regardless of rank and position, according to the laws of war.” Another allegation suggests that some military leadership in Russia have simply forged signatures to force Russians into service. “My son served in the Belgorod region, since February 20 he has been out of touch. I have information that the commander does not release conscripts, threatens desertion. In the military unit, everyone knows it, they forced the children to sign contracts, whoever came out, forged the signature,” another complaint read. Efforts and announcements like these to bolster the Russian military will likely require a heavy lift from Russia if they are to come to fruition, according to Steven Pifer, a former US ambassador to Ukraine. “Do you think we were just running our mouths? Everything is ready!” “This is already the Russian army that they said had 1 million people and most people said they probably only have about 800,000. And even if he does that, it’s going to take them months, years … to train them,” Pifer told The Daily Beast. “And where is he going to get the equipment? A lot of equipment has been destroyed, now they are bringing in T-62 tanks, which in some cases are 40-60 years old, from old stocks and I don’t think they will be able to produce many modern things.” Lukashenko’s announcement of the modified Su-24 aircraft in some ways appeared to be an attempt to deflect criticism that the Russian war effort is lagging and that Lukashenko and Putin are not just making empty promises. “Some time ago, Putin and I announced in St. Petersburg that we were going to modify Belarusian Su-24 aircraft so that they could carry nuclear weapons,” Lukashenko was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti, citing Belarus’ Sputnik. “Do you think we were just running our mouths? Everything is ready!” But even some Russian officials have acknowledged that the war effort is slowing and are working to find excuses to explain away criticism of why the effort is flagging. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed the war effort was slowing down to avoid civilian casualties – a claim that has not been true of the war as a whole, as Russian forces have repeatedly struck civilian structures, from maternity hospitals to shopping malls.
