Lukashenko worries about security of western border of Belarus

MINSK. Feb 24 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has underscored the need to strengthen the protection of Belarus' western border.

"Five battalions of special operations forces' tactical groups armed to the teeth have been deployed on the southern border. They were deployed last night and in the evening yesterday and are guarding the entire perimeter of the border. All border forces are on high alert. We have closed the entire border. Now we need to think about a more dangerous sector - the western sector," Lukashenko said on Thursday at a meeting with Belarusian military officials over the situation in Ukraine. Video footage from the meeting was published on the First Man's Pool Telegram channel, which is close to the Belarusian presidential press service.

"Nothing will happen in the south in the near future, but, should anything happen, we have enough forces and hardware there. The only thing we should be concerned about in the south is provocateurs and saboteurs, including bandits and our fugitives, who have trained at their camps to fight against our people here, in Belarus. But five battalions of tactical groups, border patrols plus maneuvering groups deployed there are even more than enough for the southern border," the president said.

Lukashenko said he has tasked the military with enhancing security along Belarus' border with NATO countries.

"The task has been set. We must not let a single tank, a single soldier slip by," the president said.