THE BelarusRussia’s ally in the war with Ukraine, announced today that the armed forces 10 days of annual “recruitment exercises».

The Ministry of Defense of Belarus said that the exercises aim to assess the level readiness of state institutions in the recruitment of reservists. All Belarusians are required to serve in the military and remain as reservists after it is completed.

Belarus returned to Russia to use its territory as a springboard for its invasion of Ukraine last year.

Since then, it has regularly conducted exercises with Russia and allows Russian forces to use its bases for training.

This month, it received Russian regulars nuclear missiles which President Vladimir Putin said was intended to serve as a warning to the West.

Belarusian forces have not directly joined the war on Russia’s side, but President Alexander Lukashenko has said his country would enter the conflict in the event of a “full-scale attack” against it.