NSDC Convenes Session: 16,000 'Refugees' in Belarus, State of Emergency May Be Introduced in Ukraine's Border Regions with Belarus

There it was warned that assisting migrants from Belarus will entail criminal liability.

Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council held an on-site session in Lutsk amid the escalating migration crisis on the Poland-Belarus border.

The NSDC expects that Belarus, under the leadership of Russia, may redirect so-called refugees from the Middle East to Ukraine. We explain the details of the on-site session.

16,000 refugees

NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said that about 16,000 migrants are currently in Belarus and that this crisis may directly affect Ukraine.

Oleksiy Danilov
NSDC Secretary

What is happening on the Polish-Belarusian border cannot be called a humanitarian crisis — it is another special operation by Russia, aimed at destabilizing the situation in Europe and on our border. This situation may affect us directly, so all necessary response measures must be taken. According to intelligence agencies, about 16,000 people — so-called refugees — are currently in Belarus.

Danilov emphasized that Ukraine is preparing for various scenarios of developments on the Polish-Belarusian border.

He also believes it is necessary to create an interagency working group involving all security structures and local government bodies for round-the-clock monitoring of the situation at the border and prompt response.

Later, at a briefing, Danilov stated that other individuals may enter Ukraine along with the refugees.

Oleksiy Danilov

Among these refugees there may be not only refugees but also other individuals who are absolutely unwelcome on our territory because of the intentions they may have here.

Danilov also reported risks related to the coronavirus if migrants enter Ukraine.

Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskyi noted that efforts are being concentrated to counter the possible threat.

In particular, all Interior Ministry structures are involved, and there is interaction with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, territorial defense units, and public associations.

According to Monastyrskyi, the key task today is "ensuring mobile response forces in case the situation escalates and possible provocations occur."

The Polish and Lithuanian ambassadors also took part in the meeting.

Helping migrants is a crime

Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov and NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov warn residents of regions bordering Belarus about criminal liability for assisting migrants in illegally crossing the border.

Oleksiy Reznikov
Defense Minister of Ukraine

I would like to warn the businesspeople living in the regions bordering friendly Belarus who suddenly plan to make money on the illegal entry of migrants into Ukraine — this will be against Ukraine's national interests, it is a matter of national security. Anyone who provides such assistance for money and sells out the country will be held quite seriously accountable under the law.

Danilov clarified Reznikov's words, saying that although criminal liability for illegal border crossing was abolished in 2014, liability for aiding the crossing was not abolished.

Oleksiy Danilov
NSDC Secretary

In April 2014, criminal liability for illegal border crossing was abolished. But the criminal article for helping these people remained. Therefore, this will be criminal liability.

At the same time, Bakanov said that to prevent the illegal entry of migrants from Belarus into Ukraine, "vulnerable segments of the population who may be involved in such activity are being worked with."

Ivan Bakanov
SBU Head

For example, small carriers, small farmers, or foresters. The SBU also works among the conditionally Belarusian community in Ukraine to make it impossible to facilitate such illegal movement.

Everything to prevent an "invasion"

SBU Head Ivan Bakanov stated that at present Ukrainian special services are not recording plans for the movement of foreign refugees from Belarus into Ukraine, but such a development is possible if the situation on the Poland-Belarus border gets out of control.

Ivan Bakanov 
SBU Head

I would like to reassure everyone that today we are not recording such plans for the movement of refugees into Ukraine. At the same time, we are preparing for any scenarios.

Bakanov called the situation on the Poland-Belarus border a special operation of Belarusian and Russian special services, aimed at pressuring European Union countries.

Ivan Bakanov

They in principle had no plans or intentions to redirect the movement of migrants to Ukraine. At the same time, control is a fragile thing, and it can be broken at any moment. Weather conditions may change or, for example, the COVID situation among migrants may worsen. Therefore, I want to repeat once again: everything that is happening today is aimed at making such a scenario impossible in case the situation in Belarus gets out of control.

Possible emergency in border regions

For its part, Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskyi stated that a state of emergency may be introduced in regions bordering Belarus if the situation escalates.

Denys Monastyrskyi
Interior Minister

Deployment sites for personnel have been determined to reinforce the Border Guard Service, the National Guard, and the National Police, and interaction with other territorial defense units and public order formations has been established; they will be the ones to protect our state border in coordination. We see that there will be a need for this.

Monastyrskyi also said that various scenarios have been worked out for this, up to introducing a state of emergency in border regions.

At the same time, according to the minister, military forces from the Joint Forces Operation and southern Ukraine are not planned to be involved in guarding the border with Belarus.

Monastyrskyi reported that the main plan of Ukraine is the construction of the state border.

"A decision of the NSDC has been made for this. And funds from the state budget are currently planned to be allocated in the 2022 budget. This is our strategic goal for the next 2 years," he said.