All eyes on Belarus as Russian ally moves troops

Moscow appears to be putting pressure on Minsk to join invasion of Ukraine

KYIV Russia’s ally Belarus said on Wednesday it was moving troops and military hardware to counteract what it called a threat of terrorism, amid signs Moscow could be putting pressure on its loyal client to open a new front in the war against Ukraine.

President Alexander Lukashenko, who relied on Russian troops to put down a popular revolt two years ago, has allowed Belarus to serve as a staging ground for Russia’s invasion of their neighbour, but has so far kept his own army from joining it.

But recent weeks have seen increasing signs of involvement in Belarus from Moscow, culminating on Saturday when Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu flew unannounced to the capital Minsk. He and his Belarusian counterpart Viktor Khrenin signed amendments to the two countries’ security cooperation agreement, without disclosing the new terms.

Thousands of Russian troops have been deployed in Belarus since October, Ukraine says, and the Belarus authorities have increasingly spoken of a threat of terrorism” from partisans operating from across the border. Mr Lukashenko has ordered his military to compile information about reservists by the end of 2022.

In the latest move, on Wednesday, the Belarus Security Council, quoted by state news agency Belta, said troops and hardware would be moving in the country over the next two days.