The Deputy Minister of Defence for Belarus, Major General Viktor Gulevich, who is also the chief of the general staff has resigned as he will not support the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Major General Gulevich said that Belarusian troops and personnel are refusing to take part in action against Ukraine and that they cannot complete a single battalion group.

The chief of the general staff has been accused of directing military exercises with Russia and agreeing to deploying Russian troops on the Belarus border.

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The British government have claimed that his orders “directly contributed to Russia’s ability to attack Ukraine.”

The British Foreign Office have previously said the Belarusian military had “supported and enabled the Russian invasion of Ukraine.”

Foreign Office said, “Gulevich is responsible for directing the actions of the Belarusian armed forces, which have supported and enabled the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“He has directed joint military exercises with Russia, and consented to the deployment of Russian troops along the border of Belarus with Ukraine, which has directly contributed to Russia’s ability to attack Ukraine, including from positions in Belarus.”

Gulevich’s resignation letter, which was addressed to the current Minister of Defence Viktor Khrenin, added said, “Conducting explanatory work with the commanders of military units did not yield results.

“I have the courage to assume that the replacement of the commanders of these military units, who could not organise the formation of groups on the ground, will not give us the result we need.

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

Oleksiy Arestovych, the advisor to the head of the Ukrainian president’s office, said he is checking the information over Gulevich’s resignation.

Speaking to Rada TV on Sunday morning, Arestovych warned that Russian troops are firing artillery shells from Belarus along their border.

He added, “However, the Belarusian army at the level of formations does not take part in the armed aggression against Ukraine.

“Nevertheless, the territory of Belarus is used, to put it mildly, to the fullest – troops come from there, the entire system of military airfields is used to bombard Ukraine, and anti-tactical missiles are launched.”