MINSK. Aug 12 Interfax) - The European Union's Charge d'Affaires in Belarus Steen Noerlov has been summoned by the Belarusian Foreign Ministry in relation to a violation of the Belarusian airspace by Ukrainian drones, the ministry said in a statement on Monday.
"Following the August 9, 2024 violation of Belarus' airspace by Ukrainian UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles], the European diplomat was made aware of the Belarusian position on this issue. It was particularly noted that a number of elements in one of the drones shot down by the Belarusian air defense forces had the marking of manufacturers from EU countries," the statement said.
"It was emphasized that such actions carry the potential of radical escalation of the military conflict, which could lead to its serious expansion, including into EU countries," it said.
Belarus, which has invariably called for peaceful settlement of the crisis through negotiation, urges the EU to take whatever measures possible and use its influence on Ukraine's leadership to prevent such actions in future, the ministry said.
The incident occurred on the evening of August 9, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on August 10. Belarusian Air Force and Air Defense troops had been put on alert and destroyed several targets over Belarus; information on the others had been passed to the Russian side, he said.