Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images
Russia is sending as many as 9,000 servicemen and hundreds of armored vehicles to Belarus, the Belarusian Defense Ministry said Monday. According to the ministry, Belarusian forces are set to conduct live fire exercises and anti-aircraft guided missile launches with the Russians.
It is the latest sign that Belarus, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has used as a staging ground for the war in Ukraine, may be preparing its armed forces for more action.
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said earlier this month he agreed with Putin that there should be a joint regional group of troops “in connection with the aggravation on the western borders of the Union State,” referring to the “union state” between Russia and Belarus that fuses the countries’ militaries, banking, and other sectors.