Belarus, Russia to start ‘defensive in nature’ air force drills - NEWS TIMES 9

Belarus, Russia to start ‘defensive’ air force drills

The increased military activity has raised concern that Moscow might use its neighbour to mount a renewed ground offensive on Ukraine.

Belarus has said the joint air force drills it will begin with Russia on Monday are defensive, but the exercises are taking place as concerns grow that Moscow is pushing Minsk to join the war in Ukraine.

The exercise is purely defensive, said Pavel Muraveyko, first deputy state secretary of the Belarusian Security Council, according to a post on the Belarusian defence ministry’s Telegram app on Sunday.