Russian troops and equipment have arrived in Belarus, the former Soviet republic, to take part in the “Allied Resolve” exercise. The exercise site is close to the southern border with Ukraine. (European News Agency)
2022/01/19 22:20
[Central News Agency]Lithuania’s defense minister said today that the entry of Russian troops into Belarus to conduct so-called joint military exercises by the authorities of the two countries poses a “direct threat” to Lithuania, a NATO member, and may prompt Washington to deploy more troops in the region.
Russian troops and equipment arrived in Belarus, a former Soviet republic, on the 17th to participate in the “Allied Resolve” exercise. The exercise took place near the border between western Belarus and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member Poland and Lithuania, close to the southern border with Ukraine.
Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anušauskas said in a Facebook post: “In the current situation, we see the entry of Russian troops into Belarus not only as a destabilizing factor for the security situation, but also as a threat to Lithuania. significant direct threat.”
Anushoskas called on NATO and the United States to deploy more troops into the region to respond.
“I think the U.S. move to deploy more troops to Europe is definitely in the works, and that’s what the situation demands,” he told the media.
A senior U.S. State Department official said on Tuesday that Russian troops had raised concerns that they “could” be used to attack neighboring Ukraine.
Some media reported on the 18th that the U.S. government is concerned that Russia is using military exercises to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus.
Anushoskas said Russia had been deploying nuclear weapons in Kaliningrad “for a long time”. Therefore, their layout in Belarus “will not significantly change the situation”. Kaliningrad is Russia’s westernmost territory, not connected to the Russian mainland, but bordered by Poland and Lithuania.
“We say it plainly: these (nuclear) Russian weapons are right next to the NATO countries, about 100 kilometers from our border.”
Russia said in 2018 that it had deployed missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads in Kaliningrad. The Iskander has a range of 500 kilometers and can carry conventional or nuclear warheads.
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