MOSCOW —
Russia despatched paratroopers to Belarus Friday in a present of assist for its ally amid the tensions over an inflow of migrants on the Belarusian border with Poland.
The Russian Protection Ministry mentioned that as a part of joint conflict video games Russian paratroopers will parachute from heavylift Il-76 transport planes in Belarus’ Grodno area that borders Poland.
The Belarusian navy mentioned the train involving a battalion of Russian paratroopers was supposed to check the readiness of the allies’ fast response forces as a consequence of an “enhance of navy actions close to the Belarusian border.”
It mentioned that as a part of the drills, which will even contain Belarusian air protection belongings, helicopter gunships and different forces, troops will observe concentrating on enemy scouts and unlawful armed formations, together with different duties.
Earlier this week, Russia despatched its nuclear-capable strategic bombers on patrol missions over Belarus for 2 straight days. Russia’s deputy UN ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, informed reporters at UN headquarters in New York that the flights got here in response to an enormous build-up on the Polish-Belarusian border.
Russia has strongly supported Belarus amid a tense standoff this week as 1000’s of migrants and refugees, most of them from the Center East, gathered on the Belarusian facet of the border with Poland within the hope of crossing into Western Europe.
The European Union has accused Belarus’ authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, of encouraging unlawful border crossings as a “hybrid assault” to retaliate in opposition to EU sanctions on his authorities for its crackdown on home protests after Lukashenko’s disputed 2020 reelection.
Belarus denies the allegations however has mentioned it would not cease refugees and migrants from attempting to enter the EU.
The Belarusian Defence Ministry accused Poland on Thursday of an “unprecedented” navy buildup on the border, saying that migration management didn’t warrant the focus of 15,000 troops backed by tanks, air defence belongings and different weapons.
Russia and Belarus have a union settlement envisaging shut political and navy ties. Lukashenko has careworn the necessity to enhance navy cooperation within the face of what he has described as aggressive actions by NATO allies.
