Belarus has indicated that military air exercises with Russia starting Monday were defensive in nature, to prepare for possible combat situations, an announcement that comes amid growing concern that Moscow is pressuring Minsk to join the war. the offensive in Ukraine.
In a message posted on the Telegram account of the Belarusian Ministry of Defense, a senior representative of the National Security Council assured that the maneuvers, which will last until February 1, were of a “purely defensive nature.”
A rear base to launch an offensive?
“It will be a set of measures to prepare our air force and the Russian air force to carry out relevant combat missions,” Pavel Muraveyko added, noting that the exercises would include “air reconnaissance” and the deflection of air strikes.
As before the launch, on February 24, of what it calls “the special military operation” in Ukraine, Russia has amassed soldiers in Belarus, where military activities have multiplied. Moscow had used its allied country as a rear base to launch an offensive against Kyiv in particular, through northern Ukraine.
The situation raises fears in Kyiv and the West that Russia is relying on Belarus to carry out a new ground attack in the region, a scenario for which Ukraine is preparing, as its president Volodymyr Zelensky stated last week.
Moscow denies putting pressure on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to play a more active role in the conflict. And Minsk repeats that it does not want to intervene directly.
Source: BFM TV
