MOSCOW, August 11. /TASS/. Kiev seeks to broaden military operations by drawing Belarus into the conflict, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told TASS in an interview.

"We certainly take such risks into consideration. In June, some Kiev regime officials did make baseless threats against our fraternal country, Belarus. Moreover, their aggressive rhetoric received support from the European Commission, namely its spokesperson, [Anita] Hipper," he said.

"We believe that such plans by Kiev and its European sponsors once again prove that the Ukrainian junta is not interested in establishing peace in the region but rather seeks to broaden military operations by drawing its closest neighbors into the conflict," Galuzin added.

Vladimir Zelensky once again issued threats against Belarus in June, saying he was ready to order strikes on equipment he claimed was stationed in Belarus along the Ukrainian border unless it was withdrawn within a week.