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Russian-Belarusian military exercise at Obuz-Lesnovski Training Area on Saturday
Photo: Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr / dpa
Russian troops are said to remain in Belarus longer than planned.
This was announced by the Belarusian Defense Minister.
The military exercises were supposed to end on Sunday. Against the background of the "escalation" of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, President Alexander Lukashenko and his Russian colleague Vladimir Putin decided to "continue to check the combat readiness of the armed forces of the Union state," the Belarusian Defense Ministry said in a messenger service Telegram with.
Russia had previously pledged to withdraw its soldiers from Belarus after the maneuvers ended as scheduled this Sunday.
Now, because of the "increase in military activities" near the Belarusian border and due to an "aggravation of the situation in Donbass," the decision was different.
Joint military exercises would continue.
According to NATO estimates, around 30,000 Russian soldiers are currently on Belarusian territory for the maneuvers that have been ongoing since February 10.
NATO Secretary General speaks of "disturbing signs"
The massive Russian troop deployment on the Ukrainian border and the maneuvers are fueling fears of an impending major Russian attack on Ukraine.
In the embattled east of Ukraine, violence has been increasing for days.
The Ukrainian army and the pro-Russian separatists in the conflict area recently accused each other of numerous violations of the ceasefire.
On Saturday, the separatists ordered a "general mobilization" - and at the same time called on women, children and the elderly to leave the country for Russia.
The United States and NATO recently warned of a so-called false flag attack by Russia.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Saturday that there were signs that "Russia is preparing to create a pretext for an attack on Ukraine".
The increasing ceasefire violations in eastern Ukraine, the "false allegations" of "genocide" in the Donbass and the evacuation of the areas controlled by the pro-Russian separatists are "disturbing signs".
Russia and the former Soviet republic maintain very close relations.
Both states cooperate within the framework of the Belarusian-Russian Union, primarily in the areas of defense and economic policy.
Apr/AFP/Reuters