“Tactical exercises” from Russia to Belarus. Russian military units will carry out “tactical exercises“in Belarus, which borders Ukraine, the Interfax news agency reported on Monday, citing the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. It is not specified when and where these maneuvers will take place.”The final assessment of the units’ capability and combat readiness will be given (…) once the battalions’ tactical exercises have been completed“, said the Russian Ministry of Defense, without specifying when and where exactly they will take place.
Putin is strengthening his military ties with Belarus. Russian President Vladimir Putin then traveled to Belarus for a meeting with his counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, his ally in the conflict in Ukraine, at a time when kyiv said it feared a possible attack from Belarusian territory in 2023. He assured Monday that Russia “has no interest“to absorb Belarus, its closest ally, very dependent on Moscow for gas and oil supplies.