Belarus announced a plan to send poorly performing workers during the harvest season to guard the border near Ukraine on Tuesday, July 21.Russian state media RIA Novosti, citing a report from Belarusian state news agency BelTA, said Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko conveyed the message during a conference call to discuss the 2026 harvest campaign.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.Lukashenko said he instructed Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin to carry out the tasks accordingly.“Why should we put handcuffs on people when we have a personnel shortage? Ask Khrenin, convey my instructions to him: Everyone who doesn’t know how to work – into the army and to the southern border. Into the forest,” Lukashenko was quoted as saying.“Our guys, special operations forces, are dispersed along the Ukrainian border on my orders,” he added.Despite earlier reports of Russia attempting to drag Minsk into the war in Ukraine, Lukashenko ruled out potential conflicts with neighboring countries before adding that anyone failing to carry out their official duties should be sent to the army.“Any official, in the government, regional executive committee, or district executive committee, should be sent to the farm to operate a tractor or a combine,” he said.“Anyone who fails to carry orders should be sent to the army. Let them serve there. They can sit in the forest. They need personnel there too. Let them serve there during the harvest season. Both officials and those who don’t want to work,” he added.