Belarus may be about to send its troops into Ukraine, U.S. official says
Belarus may be preparing to send its soldiers into Ukraine in support of the Russian invasion, perhaps as soon as this week, according to a US defence official, amid mounting concern about Minsk’s military preparations.
Belarus has already been used as a staging post by Russian forces, who gathered there on the pretext of joint military exercises before last week’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Now there is increasing evidence that Minsk may be moving towards becoming an explicit participant in the war.
On Monday it announced it was revoking its non-nuclear status after a referendum, allowing Russian weapons to be placed in Belarus. The move provoked rare protests in the country.
Last week the EU’s foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, said the Belarusian president, Alexander Lukashenko, was allowing his country to become a Russian satellite state, and on Sunday night the US official said: “It’s very clear Minsk is now an extension of the Kremlin.” [Continue reading…]