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| Belarus Begins Military Exercises Near Poland |
Minsk - Amid rising tensions with the West, Belarus began military exercises. The country will train troops to repel potential invaders. The Belarusian Ministry of Defense (Kemhan) announced this on Thursday (8/9/2022).
"The exercise will allow to practice (special) combat operations intended to liberate territory temporarily occupied by the enemy," the ministry said in a statement.
The drills will also allow soldiers to hone skills in “restore control of national borders,” practice close air support, implement martial law and combat enemy commandos or illegal armed groups.
The exercise is expected to last until September 14 and will take place in the Brest region bordering Poland and Ukraine, as well as in the Vitebsk and Minsk regions. Belarus also invited international observers to attend to demonstrate its “maximum transparency” and “desire to enhance regional stability.”
Belarus began planning the maneuver after President Alexander Lukashenko claimed in July that NATO was preparing for war in Eastern Europe, citing increased activity by the military alliance. "It seems the newly formed 'crusaders' of the North Atlantic Alliance suddenly decided that the time was ripe for another 'Drang nach Osten'," he said.
at the time, referred to the idea of Germany conquering lands in the East. In August, amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Lukashenko called Kiev a threat to Belarusian national security. He accused the Ukrainian leadership of stoking regional tensions and embracing policies "aimed against its own people."
The drills follow Russia's international Vostok 2022 military exercise, in which Belarusian troops are also taking part.