Poland has advised its citizens to immediately flee Belarus after President Alexander Lukashenko announced a 'joint military task force' with Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday fired 83 missiles at what he claimed were military, energy and communications networks in Ukraine for the first time in months.
However, Kyiv said that the missiles actually hit civilian areas, large power plants, and tragically killed at least 19 - wounding many more.
Blasts were also heard in the cities of Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia and in the western city of Lviv, and the strikes in Kyiv were the most central to hit the capital.
Putin's blitz on Ukraine comes as the largest barrage since the opening day of the war - the 24 February 2022.
Now in a shock to his country, dictator Lukashenko, 68, has announced that his own units will combine with Russian forces and deploy to the Ukrainian border.
The tyrant also accused Kyiv of planning to attack, with help from allies Poland and Lithuania.
Warsaw then went on to urge its Polish citizens in Belarus - a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south and Poland to the west - to flee the country as relations have become increasingly tense.
The Polish government wrote on its website: "We recommend that Polish citizens staying on the territory of the Republic of Belarus leave its territory with available commercial and private means."
In 2021, relations between Warsaw and Minsk deteriorated after Poland accused its eastern neighbour of orchestrating a migrant crisis on its border. Relations have become even more strained since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Lukashenko's decision comes after one of Putin's staunchest allies warned that the huge missile barrage unleashed on Ukraine is only the 'first episode' of Russia's revenge for the Kerch Strait Bridge - also known as the Crimea Bridge - over the weekend.
Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president, has warned that Ukraine poses 'a constant, direct and clear' threat. He went on to add that the Kremlin should aim to "completely dismantle the political regime of Ukraine" which he described as 'Nazi'-like.
Despot Lukashenko now appears to be laying out the groundwork to join the war following yesterday's attacks, despite his country only acting as a staging ground for Russian attacks on Ukraine.
He announced that Putin's troops would combine with his own, and would deploy to the Ukraine border.
Reportedly, in June this year, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus announced that it is planning to increase its army to a stronghold of 80,000 people and will be equipped with military equipment that is 'currently in storage', according to Pravda.
In fear over what this may mean to its citizens, Polish interior minister Maciej Wasik responded on Monday that his government is now checking the condition of its bomb shelters to make sure they are fit for purpose.
Wasik went on to say that this move is merely 'routine' and is not a response to Russia's bombardment - although, according to Reuters, the process of checking the shelters will last for up to two months.
The minister told private broadcaster Polsat News: "We have 62,000 such facilities across the country.
"Firefighters are checking their condition, whether they are equipped, and whether they are fit for use. If not, we will take steps to adapt them."
However, he shockingly added that Warsaw is preparing for the 'darkest scenarios' - even if there is only a 'small probability that they will occur'.
NATO member Poland has however reassured its citizens that its place in the alliance guarantees their safety from Russian attack, but they need to be prepared for the possibility of a missile strike.
Meanwhile, US President Biden has condemned the widespread missile attacks in Ukraine in a statement.
He said that the strikes targeted innocent civilians and served no military purpose, saying: "The United States strongly condemns Russia's missile strikes today across Ukraine, including in Kyiv. These attacks killed and injured civilians and destroyed targets with no military purpose.
"They once again demonstrate the utter brutality of Mr. Putin's illegal war on the Ukrainian people."
Since the invasion of Ukraine began, the United States has provided more than $16.8 billion (£14 billion) worth of U.S. security assistance, with Biden stating that his country are committed to stand behind the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes.
In his statement, Biden continued to say: "These attacks only further reinforce our commitment to stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes.
"Alongside our allies and partners, we will continue to impose costs on Russia for its aggression, hold Putin and Russia accountable for its atrocities and war crimes, and provide the support necessary for Ukrainian forces to defend their country and their freedom."
