While Alexander Lukashenko threatens NATO with Russian weapons, Moscow announces the withdrawal of its troops. The danger for Ukraine has not been averted.
Munich/Moscow/Minsk – The comments and messages from Russia and its ally Belarus are becoming more confusing in the Ukraine crisis*. While Moscow is announcing the withdrawal of its own troops from the border with Ukraine, the ruler from Minsk is threatening the Western defense alliance NATO with precisely these military units.
Ukraine crisis: Belarus threatens NATO, Moscow appeases
This Thursday (February 17), Russia reaffirmed that it will withdraw its troops from neighboring Belarus after the end of military maneuvers. “After the exercise, the formations and military units of the Russian Federation will return to their permanent bases, as always,” Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told the agency in Moscow interfax according to. The exercises in southern Belarus on the border with Ukraine* are scheduled to end this Sunday (February 20).
The Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko * had previously caused confusion. He told the state agency Belta with a view to a planned meeting with Russia’s head of state Vladimir Putin * this Friday in Moscow: “Only we decide when the Russian troops will be withdrawn – tomorrow or in a month. The armed forces will remain in Belarus for as long as we deem necessary.” The large-scale maneuvers began a week ago.
Ukraine crisis: Belarus ruler Alexander Lukashenko speaks of nuclear weapons
There is no need for Russian military bases because in an emergency the Russian army will come to the neighboring country for support, Lukashenko said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov introduced the agency interfax According to him, it is clear that there is “no talk of a permanent military presence in Belarus at the moment”.
At the same time, Lukashenko said he was prepared to station nuclear weapons in the event of a Western threat. According to the Belarusian news agency, Lukashenko said his country would then not only adopt nuclear weapons “but also super-nuclear weapons” in order to “defend our territory”. Belta.
In the video: Ukraine conflict – Belarus ready to deploy nuclear weapons
In the West it is feared that Russia is preparing an invasion of Ukraine* as part of the exercise in Belarus. The military leaders in Belarus and Russia, on the other hand, repeatedly emphasize that the troop deployment is purely for training purposes, does not pose a threat to anyone and is in accordance with international law. Russia’s Defense Ministry has already announced a partial withdrawal of soldiers from other maneuvers and has published photos and videos. The West doubts these reports. (pm) *Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
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