Russian President Vladimir Putin paid an unusual visit to his ally Belarus on Monday while the Russian forces continued their bombardments on Ukraine amid a broad stalemate in the war for nearly 10 months.

The Kremlin chief visited Minsk just hours after the latest Russian drone strike on Ukraine, but the trip ignited the spark fears in Kiev that Moscow is planning to use that country as a platform for a new offensive on Ukrainian soil in early 2023.

Moscow has attacked Ukraine’s electricity grid since October, part of a strategy to deprive the country of heat and electricity during the winter.

But the possibility that Belarus is once again a strategic site in Russia’s war, as was the case at the start of the invasion on February 24, was fueled by the Russian military itself when it stated that would participate in “tactical” actions in Belarusafter Minsk announced in October the formation of a joint force with Russia consisting of thousands of soldiers.

War

Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov denied that the Russian president traveled to Belarus to persuade Minsk to directly participate in the conflict in Ukraine, calling the allegations “stupid” and “baseless”. In any case, it was an unusual trip to Putin’s Minsk, who always receives his Belarusian colleague, Alexander Lukashenko in Russia.

Kiev suffered a series of Russian drone strikes on Sunday night. Local authorities reported that several “infrastructures and homes” were damaged and at least three people were injured. After the attacks, Ukrainian energy operator Ukrenergo said it will impose cuts in Kyiv and ten other regions Given the “difficult” situation of the network.

Putin said he and Lukashenko talked about training “a unique defense space” in the region, but rejected claims that Moscow intended to take over its neighbour. “Russia is not interested in any kind of merger, it’s not feasible,” Putin said.

These are “joint measures to guarantee the security” of the two countries, the “mutual delivery of weapons” and the manufacture of weapons, Putin said. According to their spokesmen, Russia will continue to train the Belarusian military to handle aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Lukashenko said Russia can do without his country, but that Belarus cannot do without Moscow.

Weapons

The Kremlin leader said he supported Lukashenko’s proposal to train the crews of Belarusian warplanes that have already been modified to use special warheads, referring to nuclear weapons.

Earlier this year, Russia and Belarus announced a plan to modernize Belarusian aircraft and make them nuclear-capable. Lukashenko said Belarusian crews have been training with Russia to handle these modified planes. carry nuclear weapons.

Belarus is believed to have stockpiles of Soviet-era weapons that could be of use to Moscow. Lukashenko, for his part, needs help with his country’s battered economy. Moscow has maintained its war offensive despite Western sanctions.

Some analysts say the Kremlin may be seeking some form of Belarusian military support for its operations in Ukraine. But wintry weather and the depletion of Russian resources mean any major Russian attack is likely it won’t come soonaccording to the analysis of the Institute for the Study of War, a think tank in Washington.

That center also estimates that “Lukashenko is unlikely to commit the Belarusian armed forces (which are also expected to be re-equipped) in the invasion of Ukraine.”

Source: EFE and AFP

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