Belarus–Russia relations

Two Shahed drones entered Gomel Oblast in Belarus from Ukraine's Chernihiv Oblast during the night of 4-5 September, prompting Belarusian military forces to scramble fighter jets. Explosions were reported in the Gomel district as the drones were intercepted.

Ukraine has called on Belarus to withdraw its troops from their shared border, accusing Minsk of amassing forces in the Gomel region under the pretense of military maneuvers. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has urged Belarus not to make "tragic mistakes" under pressure from Moscow.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has again accused Ukraine of engaging in provocations using drones and announced the ongoing fortification of the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.

In a two-hour television interview recorded for a Russian TV channel, but not yet aired, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko called for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Excerpts from the interview were published on the Belarusian leader's official website.

Belarus announced today that its military is participating in the second phase of Russian exercises scheduled by President Vladimir Putin to practice the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons, Reuters reported.

The initiative is part of Europe’s efforts to provide Kyiv with weapons to repel Russian forces after the stalling of US military aid

Day 490 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin was notorious for unbridled and profane challenges to authority even before the attempted rebellion that he mounted Saturday. The reported agreement for him to go into exile in Belarus would place him in a country where such behavior is even less acceptable than in his homeland.

Russia and Belarus are forced to fight and protect their interests in the context of the informational, political and economic war that the West is waging against them, he said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin within the High State Council of the Federal State.

 European countries will eventually resume higher imports of Russian gas, Qatar's energy minister and gas company CEO predicted on Saturday, warning that market volatility could last for years.    

Russian gas exports to Europe plunged after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine but Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, head of QatarEnergy, said the situation could change in the future.