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It has been reported that Moscow is going to form a military alliance with Belarus that could eventually annex the country without going to war. Vladimir Putin has sent troops to Belarus with the aim of exerting more pressure on Ukraine, depending on its strategic synergy with Minsk. .
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Belarus has not been involved in the fighting. However, its authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, has now threatened to take up arms.
What can this mean for conflict? Find out HERE.
Up to 9,000 military and artillery personnel have been sent to Belarus in what appears to be a “joint contingent” of the two countries, Die Welt reported.
Correspondent Christoph Wanner commented on the development, saying: “I think it’s a very attractive phenomenon.
“Now there is a joint contingent of Belarusians and Russians and it is intended that the Russians have sent about 9,000 men, such as war technology, many tanks and howitzers. “
The journalist pointed to two for the strengthening of synergy between the two allies, one of which is to “immobilize” Ukrainian troops.
The explanation of the moment would imply that Putin is aiming for a “progressive takeover” of Belarus in the “wake” of the war in Ukraine, according to M. Warren.
He said: “And I think there are two reasons why Putin is doing this. One is similar to the war in Ukraine.
“With this large contingent on the Ukrainian border, they must immobilize Ukrainian troops, which then, of course, are missing in sensitive areas, such as Kherson, Zaporizhzhia or around Bakhmut.
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“And the explanation of the moment is that Putin is forcing the progressive takeover of Belarus in the wake of the war in Ukraine.
“It has been planned in recent years to discover a union state, Belarus-Russia, and that Putin would then dominate this confederation.
“And this control, which Putin is now strengthening, over leader Lukashenko would possibly lead to the fact that all this will take position under Russian leadership and that Putin will one day annex Belarus without having to go to war.
The Defense Ministry in Minsk said Sunday that just under 9,000 Russian troops would be stationed in Belarus as part of a “regional grouping” of forces on its borders.
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Valeriy Revenko, head of the Defense Ministry’s Department of International Military Cooperation, wrote on Twitter: “The first troop trains with Russian servicemen who are from the (regional grouping) have begun to arrive in Belarus.
“The relocation will take several days. The total number will be only 9,000. “
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said last week that his troops would be deployed with Russian forces near the Ukrainian border, which he called threats from Ukraine and the West.
Lukashenko warned the West last week that he opposes “toppling Russia in a corner. “
Additional reporting via Monika Pallenberg