MINSK, February 24. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko says he has received assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin the Russian leadership would regard an attack against Belarus as an attack against Russia. A Telegram channel close to the Belarusian presidential press service released a video with Lukashenko’s statement to this effect on Thursday.

"We have a joint group. Part of it is on the western border of Russia. I asked him (the Russian president - TASS) to avoid using part of that group. To keep it in reserve just in case, if something happens. His reply was: ‘I promise you that any attack against or just one step across the border into the Belarusian territory would mean that they attack Russia’," Lukashenko cited Putin as saying.

"I would like them (in the West - TASS) to hear and understand this. And refrain from lying and coining fakes," Lukashenko added.

Also, he pointed out that NATO was quickly building up forces on the border with Belarus in Poland and in the Baltic countries.