Military movements of Belarus are “worrying”… and Ukraine is watching

Belarus plans to transfer military equipment and forces, on Wednesday and Thursday, in what it said were anti-terror exercises, amid fears that Russia could launch a new attack on Ukraine from the territory of its ally.

“During this period, it is planned to transfer military equipment and personnel of the national security forces,” the official Belta news agency quoted the Belarusian Security Council as saying.

“Citizens’ movement (transportation) will be restricted along some public roads and areas and the use of imitation weapons for training purposes will be planned,” he added.

Russia has said it will not enter the war in neighboring Ukraine, but President Alexander Lukashenko has previously ordered his forces to deploy with Russian forces near the Ukrainian border, citing threats to Belarus from Kyiv and the West.

Ukraine has been warning for months that it fears that Belarus and Russia are planning a new incursion across its northern border.

The Ukrainian General Staff said, in a statement posted on Facebook, on Wednesday, that “enemy units are being trained at the training grounds in the Republic of Belarus” and that Russian attacks are continuing from the territory of Belarus.

Last week, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu held talks with his counterpart in Belarus, Viktor Khrenin, to discuss military cooperation.