Belarus’ deputy defence minister reportedly resigned and said he could not support Russia’s current invasion of Ukraine.

Major General Viktor Gulevich, who is also Chief of the General Staff, claimed that the personnel of the Belarusian military unit refused to take part in the hostilities and that the Belarusian Armed Forces could not complete a single battalion group.

Mr. Gulevich is among the Belarusian officials who have faced economic sanctions from the UK government because of their closeness to Vladimir Putin.

He was accused of leading joint military exercises with Russia and agreeing to the deployment of Russian troops along Belarus’s border with Ukraine, which the UK government claimed “directly contributed to Russia’s ability to attack Ukraine.”

The UK Foreign Office has previously said that the Belarusian military “supported and facilitated the Russian invasion of Ukraine” by allowing Russian troops to gather on the border with Ukraine.

In a scan of Mr. Gulevich’s statement, which was allegedly addressed to the current Minister of Defence Viktor Khrenin, it is added: “Conducting explanatory work with the commanders of military units did not produce results. I have the courage to assume that the replacement of the commanders of these military units, who failed to organize the formation of groupings on the ground, will not give us the result we need.

In view of the foregoing, I ask for your decision regarding the acceptance of my resignation.”