Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk appealed to the Belarusian people not to allow Russia to drag Belarus into the war in Ukraine.

"War criminal Putin, already up to his elbow in blood from the war he unleashed with Ukraine, wants to draw you into this crime. He wants to bind you with the blood of innocently killed Ukrainians, Russians, Belarusians and deprive you of the future," Stefanchuk stressed in his appeal, published by the press service of the Verkhovna Rada on Telegram.

He recalled that Russian troops entered Ukraine from the territory of Belarus, raising radioactive ashes in Chornobyl, shelling Kyiv and bombing Ukraine from planes that take off from the Belarusian territory.

"Now Putin's criminal regime wants to throw your sons into the meat grinder of war. Don't let this happen! Don't be silent. You know what to do. Don't sacrifice the best you have - the lives of your sons and daughters!" he said.