Belarus builds military rail hub near Ukraine as tensions rise

Belarus is building new railway infrastructure near its border with Ukraine, designed to accommodate military trains. The project, located near the village of Yakimovka in the Homel region, is being commissioned by the Institute of Military Projects and is officially titled "Construction of a Military Training Ground in Homel Region," according to project documents obtained by the Belarusian railway community.

The plans include a separate access road capable of handling up to 60 railcars and a loading platform with a ramp for unloading both wheeled and tracked military vehicles. Since late 2023, large-scale construction of a new military base has been underway near Homel. It is likely to become home to the 37th Separate Airborne Brigade of the Belarusian Special Operations Forces. The brigade was created to "strengthen the southern sector" and, according to self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, to "protect the country from threats coming from Ukraine."

State cadastral maps in Belarus list the eastern part of the new facility as a "military camp" and the western section as a "training and tactical field." Meanwhile, Belarus is forming its fourth airborne assault brigade—another large military unit. By next year, the brigade will be stationed near Homel, less than 40 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

On the other side, Ukrainian border guards are preparing to repel a possible attack from Belarus. They are fortifying the northern frontier with "kill zones" designed to deter enemy advances by digging anti-tank ditches, installing barbed-wire obstacles, and positioning concrete "dragon's teeth" barriers.

Back in May, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia was preparing a new offensive. Intelligence reports suggest Russian forces may attack from Belarusian territory, putting all northern regions—including Chernihiv, as well as Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr, and Kyiv—under potential threat.

Lukashenko has also proposed sending those unwilling to work in the fields to the Ukrainian border. In another development, he congratulated Ukraine on its Independence Day.