Belarus invades Ukraine as second nation to join Russian attack

Belarus has joined the Russian invasion to become the second country to attack Ukraine, the government has said.

Ukrainian parliament claims that troops 'have entered' the northern region of Chernihiv, according to a tweet from its official Twitter account.

The invasion was confirmed by Latvian Defence Minister, Dr Atis Pabriks, who stated Belarusian soldiers had crossed the border into Ukraine, the Mirror reports.

He explained to the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee: “This basically means we have two aggressives at this moment officially.

“I am very much concerned that Russian troops, following orders from the top, will go into the mode similar to that President Assad was using against his population."

It comes only hours after Belarusian president and Putin supporter Aleksandr Lukashenko claimed he had no plans to join Putin's war.

He was quoted on Tuesday denying that Russian troops were attacking Ukraine from Belarusian territory.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. (Peter Kovalev\TASS via Getty Images)

The Tweet from the official @verkhovna_rada Twitter account for the parliament of Ukraine, said: "Belarusian troops have entered Chernihiv region.

"The information was confirmed to the public by Vitaliy Kyrylov, spokesman for the North Territorial Defence Forces.”

It means Lukashenko's troops have joined the conflict on the sixth day of the invasion as Russia continues to push ahead to try and take key Ukrainian cities.

According to local reports from the region, a column of 33 tanks rolled past residents of Slabyn, Pakul and Mykhailo-Kotsyubynsky at 11.30am local time.

Huge blast rocks Kyiv as civilians flee to underground bomb shelters. (Twitter)

These were northern border towns, close to Belarus, and not far from Kyiv.

Previously, a US official had said the Belarus could send in troops to support Russia.

Speaking to The Washington Post on Sunday, they said: “It’s very clear Minsk is now an extension of the Kremlin.”

Residents of Sievierodonetsk, Lugansk Oblast, look out from the basement where they hid during the heavy shelling by Russian forces. (AFP via Getty Images)

However, the Ministry of Defence said this morning that continued logistical difficulties held Putin’s forces up.

This comes as a 40 mile Russian armour convoy heads for the Ukrainian capital, in an effort to break the deadlock between the two sides.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said it is clear that Putin has "no boundaries" to what instruments he will use against Ukraine.

Speaking to the Foreign Affairs Committee, he said: "It is possible that this war will become a massacre."