Amid escalating tensions between Russia and Western powers over fears of an invasion from Ukraine, Moscow sent troops and military equipment to Belarus on Monday (17) for joint exercises due to begin in February.
The exercises will be held near Belarus’ western border, on the border with NATO members Poland and Lithuania, as well as Ukraine itself, Belarusian dictator Aleksander Lukachenko said.
“Set an exact date and let us know so we’re not guilty of moving some troops here out of the blue as if we were getting ready to go to war,” he told senior military officials.
The dictator referred to the movement of tens of thousands of Russian troops across the border with Ukraine, in what has been seen as a threat of war, which could take concrete military action in the coming weeks, according to the United States.
Moscow denies the invasion plan, but takes advantage of the impasse to demand security guarantees from the West, including the containment of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), a military alliance led by the United States and seen as a threat by the Russians. The Kremlin wants to sign an agreement to guarantee the veto of Ukraine’s entry to the military group.
Lukachenko said on Monday that military exercises in the region are necessary because Ukraine has gathered troops on the border, and Poland and the Baltic countries have more than 30,000 troops stationed in the region.
The dictator has led Belarus, the former Soviet republic that Moscow has viewed as a buffer state since 1994, and has strengthened ties with the Kremlin during mass protests that erupted in 2020 and were violently suppressed.
“These should be normal exercises to devise a certain plan to face these forces: the West, the Baltic countries, Poland and the south – Ukraine,” the dictator said, in comments carried by state media.
The Kremlin said reports that Estonia was prepared to receive up to 5,000 NATO troops showed Moscow was right to be concerned. “It is exactly things like this that prove that we have reason to be concerned and that we are not the reason for the escalation of tensions,” said Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Asked about plans to deploy missiles in Venezuela or Cuba, Dmitri deflected. “For Latin America, we are talking about sovereign states there, let’s not forget that. And in the context of the current situation, Russia is thinking about how to guarantee its own security. We are reviewing different scenarios,” he said.
Western countries have signaled support for Ukraine. Britain said on Monday it had begun supplying Ukraine with anti-tank weapons to help it defend against a possible invasion.
“We have taken the decision to supply Ukraine with anti-armor defensive light weapons systems,” British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told parliament. According to him, the first systems were delivered on Monday, and British officials will give training to Ukrainians on how to use this equipment.
He did not specify the number or type of weapons being sent, but said: “They are not strategic weapons and do not pose a threat to Russia. They must be used in self-defense.”
Also on Monday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said she hoped that tensions with Russia could be resolved through diplomacy, but warned that Moscow would suffer the consequences if it attacked Ukraine. “Every aggressive act will take a heavy toll on Russia, economically, strategically and politically,” Baerbock said in Kiev before heading to Moscow.
Ex-president faces treason charge
Amid tensions, former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko landed in the country on Monday from Warsaw for a hearing in a treason trial, a case he says was concocted by allies of his successor Volodymyr Zelensky.
Upon arrival in the country, there was an impasse, with Porochenko accusing border officials of withdrawing his passport. Afterwards, he greeted thousands of supporters who were waiting for him outside the airport.
The treason investigation dates back to allegations of funding Russian-backed separatist fighters through alleged illegal coal sales in 2014 and 2015. He faces 15 years in prison if convicted. His party accused Zelensky of trying to silence the opposition.
The government says prosecutors and the judiciary are independent and accuses Porochenko of thinking he is above the law.
“The authorities are confused, weak, and instead of fighting Putin, they are trying to fight us,” he said in court in Kiev.
The court ended up adjourning the decision on Porochenko’s arrest after the nearly 12-hour session. The hearing will resume next Wednesday (19).
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