Men in western Belarus have been receiving military summonses en masse for several days as part of what authorities describe as unscheduled training assemblies, according to an investigation by Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne published on 19 February.
Experts say the call-ups pose little direct threat to Ukraine or NATO neighbors and mainly test mobilization readiness. Still, Belarus remains closely tied to Russia and hostile toward the West, keeping regional observers alert to potential escalation.
Lukashenka ordered a snap inspection in January
The call-ups reportedly began after Belarusian president Aliaksandr Lukashenka on 16 January announced a snap inspection of the country’s armed forces. On 17 February, Belarus’ Defense Ministry said reservists were being gathered within the framework of this “comprehensive readiness check,” primarily in units of the Western Operational Command.
Local military officials stated that reserve officers, sergeants, and enlisted personnel were reporting to preliminary assembly points before being dispatched to units according to schedule.
Relatives describe same-day summonses and radio silence
However, Suspilne reports that social media in cities such as Hrodna has been flooded with posts from wives and relatives describing short-notice summonses and rapid departures. Some users said men were told to report the same day they received the notice. Others claimed fathers of multiple children were called up.
Screenshots reviewed by Suspilne show residents sharing details about assembly points, transport to training grounds, and temporary loss of contact after departure. In several cases, relatives said phones were switched off once reservists boarded buses.
Belarusian opposition outlet Zerkalo contacted military enlistment offices posing as relatives, Suspilne reports. Officials confirmed that summonses were being issued for immediate reporting rather than within the usual week-long window. Some suggested the urgency was linked to a mobilization-readiness inspection rather than routine annual training.
Under Belarusian law, special assemblies of reservists can last up to two months, while the cumulative duration of such service over a reservist’s lifetime is capped at 12 months.
Minsk blames "aggressive" Western rhetoric
On 19 February, Belarus’ Defense Ministry published comments from Major General Valery Revenko, who said the activities were connected to what he described as “aggressive rhetoric” from Western countries preparing for war. He stated that Belarus was preparing its armed forces for defense and was not increasing troop numbers.
Opposition and NATO analysts say Belarus can't mount an offensive
A source in Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s team told Suspilne that similar exercises had occurred before and did not indicate preparations for an offensive.
They said Belarus lacks the combat capacity and internal support for a new ground operation, noting the country did not directly join Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine despite close ties to Moscow.
Lithuanian retired NATO colonel Vaidotas Malinionis told Suspilne that mobilization checks are common in reserve-based systems and do not automatically signal preparations for offensive action.
However, he said such activities must be assessed in the broader regional context, given Belarus’ military integration with Russia. Lithuania and its NATO allies are monitoring developments but currently view the assemblies as consistent with readiness inspections rather than imminent offensive operations.
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