Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu confirmed close military cooperation with Belarus during a visit to the Belarusian capital Minsk. This is important “given the increasing confrontation between the West and Russia”, according to the minister.
Shoigu spoke in Minsk with his Belarusian colleague Viktor Chrenin. Russia has recently had thousands of soldiers, tanks and heavy military equipment transferred to Belarus, in particular to the border with Ukraine. In addition, Belarus has turned over its military bases to Russian forces for attacks on Ukraine. According to Chrenin, the two neighboring countries have started preparing a new military maneuver by 2023.
Shoigu accused NATO of building extensive defense systems on the border with Russia. He also denounced that the West is equipping Ukraine with weapons and ammunition. The minister also claimed that the West is trying to destroy Russia with sanctions, among other things.
Russia is suffering heavily from the sanctions. The country is dependent on production abroad or imports via neighboring countries where there are no sanctions. According to the state news agency ‘Belta’, Russia will provide a new loan of 1.52 billion euros to Minsk. The country must use that money to expand its capacity in, for example, machine construction. These machines then have to be produced for Russia. According to the government in Minsk, the money will mainly be used for civilian, but also military projects.
Latvia extends state of emergency
Meanwhile, Latvia has extended the state of emergency in the regions along the border with Belarus until February 10, 2023, according to the government in Riga. In August 2021, the Baltic country launched a state of emergency in response to tensions at the border. The European Union accused Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko of allowing migrants to come from countries such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Belarus would then send those people across the borders with countries of the European Union.
With the extension of the state of emergency, the Latvian Border Guard remains authorized to return migrants attempting to cross the border illegally from Belarus.
See also: Putin lashes out at the West in speech about war
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