The Belarusian Ministry of Defense also published photos showing Russian tanks and army trucks on railway carriages. The maneuvers will take place from February 10 to 20, Major General Oleg Voinov said at a meeting with foreign military representatives.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had previously announced the exercises, but without giving an exact date. According to some sources, the maneuvers will also be held in the south and west of the former Soviet Republic, on the borders with Poland and Ukraine.
The United States and NATO have criticized the massive deployment of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border for months. They fear that Russia is planning an invasion of the neighboring country, something Moscow has repeatedly denied. It is not uncommon for the Russian army to hold exercises with close ally Belarus. For example, the Belarusian regime is now even more dependent on Russia’s support than before, partly because the West has already imposed sanctions on the power apparatus in Belarus on several occasions.
Ukraine, in turn, repeatedly pointed out that Russian troops will not return to their barracks after the maneuvers. Russian President Vladimir Putin has already sent more than 100,000 troops to the border region with Ukraine. The United Kingdom previously announced that it will supply light weapons to Ukraine.
Rewatch: Tensions between Ukraine and Russia: what you need to know