"It is utterly unacceptable that military infrastructure is being set up now on their territory, and their intelligence is already fully at work. If all this is not against us, who is it they are up against?" Lukashenko demanded.

Speaking to veterans during celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Belarus's liberation from Nazi troops, Lukashenko voiced hope that no one "will accuse me of not having warned our people of what is happening over the border."

"We, heirs of the Soviet people's great deeds, cannot be staying low and looking as if all is calm and quiet," Lukashenko said, assuring that "at need, Belarusian troops will be able to harm any aggressor irreparably."

With its neighbors Poland, Latvia and Lithuania gaining NATO membership, Belarus -- widely regarded as Europe's last pariah state on account of its poor human rights record -- is seeing its common borders with the Western alliance grow ever longer.

In recompense, Minsk sought to strengthen ties with Moscow, which had long opposed NATO's expansion, particularly into the former Soviet space.

WAR.WIRE