Belarus Mobilizes Rocket Systems Amid Border Tensions

Belarus has escalated its border security with Ukraine following a recent security breach. The Belarusian defence ministry announced the deployment of multiple launch rocket systems to test combat readiness. This follows the downing of a quadrocopter from Ukraine and the discovery of materials for a homemade bomb in the border region.

(Recasts with rocket systems in lede, defence ministry statement) MOSCOW, June 28 (Reuters) -

Belarus is reinforcing its border with Ukraine after a security incident and has deployed a division of multiple launch rocket systems to test their combat readiness, the Belarusian defence ministry said on Friday. The border service of Belarus announced earlier on Friday that border security was being beefed up, saying in a statement that its staff had brought down a quadrocopter on Wednesday after it had illegally crossed the border from Ukraine to collect information about Belarusian border infrastructure.

Earlier in the week, the border service said materials for a homemade bomb had been found concealed in the same area and that it was aware that a unit of pro-Ukrainian Russian fighters was present in a Ukrainian region bordering Belarus. The defence ministry later published images of Belarusian Polonez multiple rocket systems deployed along the border near wooded areas.

"Troops have equipped and camouflaged the locations of military personnel and their equipment in the designated area and are continuing to carry out their intended tasks," the statement said. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.