Russia extends the deployment time of its troops in Belarus that was to end this Sunday

Russia decided this Sunday to prolong its military presence in Belarus beyond the “Allied Determination 2022” maneuvers due to the tension in this of Ukraine, which has increased in recent days and has left its first victims among both soldiers and civilians, according to the parties to the conflict; the Ukrainian regular Army and the pro-Russian militias.

He was the Minister of Defense BelarusVictor Khrenin, who announced today that Minsk and Moscow would lengthen inspection of troops’ combat capabilities amid growing threats near their common border.

“SMELLS OF GUNPOWDER”

Khrenin specified that The measure is due to “increased military activity near the borders of the Union State (of Russia and Belarus) and the aggravation of the situation in Donbas” (this Ukrainian).

The minister added that from now on the military will rehearse the stages of defense of the State of the Union that were not covered “in detail” during the Allied Determination 2022 exercises.

The focus of the new inspection, according to the military official, will remain the same and will seek to guarantee an adequate response to the “escalation” near the common borders.

Khrenin added that neighbors of Russia and Belarus are filled with modern weaponsin a clear allusion to the military aid that Ukraine has received in recent months, and increases the number of “incomprehensible” military exercises and operations next to the border of the two countries.

“It is obvious that they are directed against Russia and Belarus”he asserted.

The Belarusian minister accused the West of refusing to respect the “red lines” of Russiaexpressed in their demands for security, and affirmed that these concerns, among which a veto on the extension of the NATO to the east, they are also “current” for Belarusians.

For Khrenin, from all this one can draw the conclusion that “in Europe it smells a lot like gunpowder”. “They push her to the war on purpose,” concluded the Minister of Defense.

THE TIME YOU NEED

The Belarusian President, Alexander Lukashenkowho visited one of the polygons on Thursday, where the Allied Determination 2022 exercises were held, said that he would decide in the meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, the future of the joint military unit the next day, during negotiations in Moscow.

“It will be as we decide tomorrow”the Belarusian leader said then.

Lukashenko He added that the United States sends its military thousands of kilometers away, so he does not understand the criticism of the Russians’ permanence in the territory of neighboring Belarus.

“If we make the decision (on his departure), we do it in one day. If we talk about a month, they will be here for a month. The (Russian) military will be there for as long as it takes. It is our land and our territory”he asserted.

Putin in turn affirmed this week that the Russian-Belarusian maneuvers have a defensive character and do not threaten anyone.

BELARUS OPPOSITION DEMANDS WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS

These words did not convince the Belarusian opposition, which called this Sunday for the immediate withdrawal of the Russian military from the territory of Belarus.

“We demand the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from our territory. We will try to have this issue addressed by the UN Security Council”, says a message on Telegram from the office of the opposition leader of BelarusSvetlana Tijanovskaya.

“We have already sent letters to the countries of the European Union (EU) with proposals for new strong sanctions that hit the regime and not the people”adds Tijanóvskaya’s team.

Belarusian opponents also intend to hold consultations with “the neighbors, the EU, the US and the UK” as a result of the situation.

“Whatever each of Lukashenko’s next steps against Belarusian sovereignty, it will have the most serious consequences”they added.

USA, MORE CONCERNED NOW THAN BEFORE ABOUT POSSIBLE INVASION

US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, affirmed today that the events of this weekend indicate that the Russian president launched his “manual” for an attack on Ukraine, although he believed that there is still time to opt for the diplomatic route. “Everything we are seeing indicates that this is completely serious, that they are about to invade,” said the head of US diplomacy in an interview with the CNN television network.

Blinken He assured that he is more concerned about the possibility of an invasion now that Russia and Belarus have decided to extend the inspection time of the forces that have participated in their military exercises beyond this Sunday, when their end was scheduled.

This Saturday, the head of the Belarusian Security Council, Alexandr Volfovich, said that despite the completion of the joint exercises Allied Determination 2022, which began on February 10 with a duration of ten days, the verification of the combat status of the troops could continue.

“The exercises are one of the final stages of the inspection. They have already been carried out, but the inspection can continue.” Volfovich said.

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