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dpa
Moscow
Russia and Belarus have begun a large-scale military manoeuvre, the two countries’ Defence Ministries said on Thursday, inflaming already heightened tensions in the Ukraine crisis.
The war games, which have been criticized by Western powers, takes place in southern Belarus, close to the border with Ukraine and is due to last for 10 days.
Troops will use five military training areas to practice what the Russian Defence Ministry described as “the suppression of and defence against external aggression.”
The exercise comes amid a flurry of diplomacy as Western leaders try to avert war in the region. The latest was British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who met with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Thursday in Moscow.
There are fears that Russia may be planning to invade Ukraine, after tens of thousands of troops and equipment were massed close to the border.
Russia has repeatedly denied such intentions. The military leaders involved in the exercises have also underlined that the deployments are purely for training purposes, pose no threat and are in line with international law.
Russia has been moving heavy military equipment into Belarus over the past few weeks including S-400 air defence systems. But Russian soldiers are due to return to their bases at the end of the exercise, according to Moscow.
Furthermore, Sukhoi Su-25SM fighter jets have been moved over 7,000 kilometres from the Primorye region on the Sea of Japan to military airfields in the Brest region near the Polish border, according to Moscow.
The Russian Defence Ministry released a video showing many tanks with fir branches for camouflage, while live firing was visible and audible.
Truss told journalists in Moscow that “the aggression by the Russian government and attempts to relitigate the past are seriously undermining Russia’s international standing,” according to Britain’s Press Association.
Truss accused Russia of “attempting to destabilize Ukrainian democracy” through “hybrid warfare and amassing over 100,000 troops on the border in a threatening manner,” PA reported.
Lavrov, who was standing nearby, was visibly annoyed by the comments.
He criticized the British demand that Russia withdraw troops from its own territory on the border with Ukraine.
In Paris, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian was critical of the “extremely massive” manoeuvres in Belarus, which he called a “gesture of great violence.” He also said it was still an open question as to whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will withdraw his troops after the exercise or leaves them there.
If the latter should happen, Ukraine would be encircled by Russian forces on three sides.
In Kiev, meanwhile, another warning was issued about Russian military moves - this time in the Black Sea off the coast of annexed Crimea.
Russia is set to conduct naval drills next week that will cause severe disruptions to shipping lanes, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.
Moscow
Russia and Belarus have begun a large-scale military manoeuvre, the two countries’ Defence Ministries said on Thursday, inflaming already heightened tensions in the Ukraine crisis.
The war games, which have been criticized by Western powers, takes place in southern Belarus, close to the border with Ukraine and is due to last for 10 days.
Troops will use five military training areas to practice what the Russian Defence Ministry described as “the suppression of and defence against external aggression.”
The exercise comes amid a flurry of diplomacy as Western leaders try to avert war in the region. The latest was British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who met with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Thursday in Moscow.
There are fears that Russia may be planning to invade Ukraine, after tens of thousands of troops and equipment were massed close to the border.
Russia has repeatedly denied such intentions. The military leaders involved in the exercises have also underlined that the deployments are purely for training purposes, pose no threat and are in line with international law.
Russia has been moving heavy military equipment into Belarus over the past few weeks including S-400 air defence systems. But Russian soldiers are due to return to their bases at the end of the exercise, according to Moscow.
Furthermore, Sukhoi Su-25SM fighter jets have been moved over 7,000 kilometres from the Primorye region on the Sea of Japan to military airfields in the Brest region near the Polish border, according to Moscow.
The Russian Defence Ministry released a video showing many tanks with fir branches for camouflage, while live firing was visible and audible.
Truss told journalists in Moscow that “the aggression by the Russian government and attempts to relitigate the past are seriously undermining Russia’s international standing,” according to Britain’s Press Association.
Truss accused Russia of “attempting to destabilize Ukrainian democracy” through “hybrid warfare and amassing over 100,000 troops on the border in a threatening manner,” PA reported.
Lavrov, who was standing nearby, was visibly annoyed by the comments.
He criticized the British demand that Russia withdraw troops from its own territory on the border with Ukraine.
In Paris, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian was critical of the “extremely massive” manoeuvres in Belarus, which he called a “gesture of great violence.” He also said it was still an open question as to whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will withdraw his troops after the exercise or leaves them there.
If the latter should happen, Ukraine would be encircled by Russian forces on three sides.
In Kiev, meanwhile, another warning was issued about Russian military moves - this time in the Black Sea off the coast of annexed Crimea.
Russia is set to conduct naval drills next week that will cause severe disruptions to shipping lanes, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.
