Kyiv: The Ukrainian military is strengthening a second line of defence in the Rivne Region near the border with Belarus, filling it with traps against infantry and vehicles as well as planting mines near the Rivne nuclear power plant, Ukrainian media reported on Saturday.

There is no visible threat from Belarus at the moment, but the density of minefields is being increased to be ready for any development, the Channel 5 broadcaster reported.

On February 21, senior Belarusian defense official Valery Revenko said a large group of Ukrainian troops had been deployed close to the Belarusian-Ukrainian border, threatening to escalate the situation to border clashes.

In November 2022, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said he had no plans to send Belarusian troops to Ukraine.

(With UNI inputs)