Fresh fears of a new escalation in the fighting in Ukraine have been raised amid warnings that Belarus is preparing to join the attack.
Special forces from the country are believed to have been preparing aircraft for a major assault on Kyiv, reports the Mirror.
According to Ukrainian intelligence if the move goes ahead it will be a clear signal that Belarus is siding with Russia.
The country has already allowed missiles to be fired from within its borders at Ukraine following the incursion ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A senior Ukrainian source told the Daily Mirror: “If this happens it will mean Belarus has openly joined Russia in its invasion of sovereign Ukraine.
“We believe they are being targeted at Kyiv and Zhytomir.”
For weeks during the Russian build up large numbers of Moscow’s elite Spetsnaz troops were on so-called “exercises” with their Belarus counterparts.
The report came as Ukrainian sources confirmed Russia’s mounting losses during the invasion in which Kyiv’s troops and citizens are fighting back with ferocity.
By today Russia has lost 4,300 troops in bitter fighting.
The revelation comes hours after Ukraine turned down talks with Moscow after Putin sent a diplomatic delegation to the country, saying Belarus is "complicit" in the invasion.
However Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy has said he is ready to talk - but at a different location.
Posting on his Telegram channel he said he had spoken with Belarus' leader Alexander Lukashenko, after Kyiv had rejected talks in Belarus amid accusations of allowing Russian troops through its territory.
On Friday, Britain summoned Belarusian ambassador, Maxim Yermalovich, to protest at their giving assistance in the invasion of Ukraine.
Priti Patel earlier cancelled visas for the Belarusian men's basketball team over their nation's support.
The Home Secretary said in a tweet: "The UK will not welcome the national sports teams of those countries who are complicit in (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine."
The team was due to play Great Britain in Newcastle tomorrow night, in a World Cup qualifier.
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