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Belarus says Ukrainian helicopter Mi-8 violates its airspace

Mi-8 flying up to one kilometer into its territory, the Belarusian State Border Committee said

MINSK, December 4. /TASS/. A Ukrainian Mi-8 military helicopter has violated Belarus’ airspace during drills, flying up to one kilometer into its territory, the Belarusian State Border Committee said on Saturday.

"Today, on December 4 at around noon, violation of the airspace of the Republic of Belarus by Ukraine was documented on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border outside the Novaya Rudnya checkpoint of the Mozyr border guard detachment," the statement says.

The committee said that a Ukrainian Mi-8 military helicopter crossed the state border at an altitude of about 100 meters, making an unauthorized incursion of up to one kilometer into Belarus.

"Ukraine has been informed about the incident," the border committee said.

The migrant crisis escalated dramatically on November 8 at the border of Belarus with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, where migrants have been flocking to since the beginning of 2021. Several thousand people approached the Polish border from Belarusian territory and tried to storm into Poland. In the wake of the migrant crisis, more Ukrainian forces have been pulled to the Belarusian border. They are conducting drills in the border areas.

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