Belarus president visits Moscow to meet Putin ahead of strategic nuclear drills

Europe, News February 19, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

The Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko arrived in Moscow on February 18 to meet with his international ally and Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin.

The important strategic meeting between the two leaders took place ahead of the Russian military’s annual Grom drill, which is a command-and-staff exercise of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces. As the Russian armed forces Supreme Commander in Chief, Vladimir Putin would also participate in the drill.

The Russian defense ministry has said that ballistic and cruise missiles would be launched from the subsurface missile carrier of the Russian Navy’s Northern Fleet against a predefined target in the Kamchatka Peninsula. The Russian Strategic Forces would also perform combat training on the long-range missiles.

The western countries are worried about Russia’s troop building on its Ukrainian border as Russia has deployed 30,000 troops with heavy tanks and artillery, along with Belarus for the joint exercises.

President Putin welcomed President Lukashenko in Moscow on Friday. Contrary to the arrangements made during the Putin-Macron meeting, the two leaders sat in close proximity with each other and later participated in a joint press conference.

^{Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, surrounded by officers, at the Osipovichi training ground during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills near Osipovichi, Belarus, on Thursday. (Image Credit: Maxim Guchek/BelTA Pool Photo via AP)}

While speaking about the military drill, the two leaders indicated that they would personally ‘participate’ in the exercises, however, Kremlin has so far neither denied nor confirmed in what capacity the two leaders would participate in the exercises. While commenting on the statement Kremlin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that “If they decide to be there together, then they will be there together. The nuclear missile test launches of this type are impossible without the head of state.”

Western officials on the other hand have warned that the military drills in Belarus can act as a cover operation for an Invasion of Ukraine and a possible attack on Kyiv.

Some officials are also worried that Russia would deploy its troops permanently in Belarus creating a threat for Ukraine at the Belarus-Ukraine border. Although Russian officials have stated from time to time that the Russian troops would leave Belarus as soon as the exercises are finished, President Lukashenko said on February 17, “If it makes sense to keep Russian troops here, we will keep them as long as necessary. I emphasize once again, this is our territory and this decision is up to us.”

^{This handout video grab released by the Russian Defense Ministry shows combat crews of the S-400 air defense system taking up combat duty during joint exercises of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus as part of an inspection of the Union State’s Response Force. (Image Credit: AFP/Russian Defense Ministry)}

While speaking to the media at the end of their meeting, the two leaders did not address any direct questions related to the ongoing Ukraine crisis and also did not state a clear date when the Russian troops would leave Belarus.