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Speculations about Belarus entering the Ukraine war: How strong is the military?

2022-03-25T14:28:33.207Z


Speculations about Belarus entering the Ukraine war: How strong is the military? Created: 03/25/2022, 15:20 By: Linus Prien One of his last allies: Vladimir Putin with Alexander Lukashenko. © IMAGO/Mikhail Klimentyev Belarus is a neighbor of Ukraine and one of Russia's last allies - and could intervene in the war. How armed is the military? One of the last allies left by Russian President Vla


Speculations about Belarus entering the Ukraine war: How strong is the military?

Created: 03/25/2022, 15:20

By: Linus Prien

One of his last allies: Vladimir Putin with Alexander Lukashenko.

© IMAGO/Mikhail Klimentyev

Belarus is a neighbor of Ukraine and one of Russia's last allies - and could intervene in the war.

How armed is the military?

One of the last allies left by Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Ukraine conflict is Belarus and dictator Alexander Lukashenko.

In 2020, Russia had supported him in violently crushing protests in his country.

In the past few weeks, Lukashenko had rejected a deployment of Belarusian troops in Ukraine.

Nevertheless, in the past few weeks, Russian soldiers have repeatedly been able to launch attacks on Ukraine from Belarusian territory.

Ukraine war: rumors of a Belarusian war effort

In the past few days, however, rumors have been circulating that a Belarusian military operation could occur after all.

According to the Ukrainian General Staff, Belarusian soldiers are also increasingly being exposed to Russian war propaganda.

The last Belarusian diplomats left Kyiv.

The Belarusian opposition activist Svetlana Tichanovskaya recently claimed in a video message that Belarusian troops are preparing for military action.

This information is not independently verifiable.

Ukraine war: How strong is the Belarusian military?

According to

Der Spiegel

, the Belarusian military has around 48,000 soldiers, 6,150 of whom belong to special forces.

In comparison, the Ukrainian military has just under 200,000 soldiers.

The equipment of the Belarusian troops comes largely from Russia.

The country does not have a modern defense industry capable of developing its own complex weapon systems.

Russia and Belarus have also jointly conducted military exercises and established air force and air defense training centers in recent years.

Belarus has 500 T-72B tanks.

Some of them are said to be equipped with reactive armor, which should protect against anti-tank weapons.

However, previous experience in the Ukraine war has shown that this armor only has a limited protective effect.

Belarus also has over 70 fighter jets.

Among other things, MiG-29 jets, which were to be delivered from Poland to Ukraine for a short time.

An air attack on Ukraine would accordingly be possible.

Eastern Europe expert András Rácz from the German Council on Foreign Relations told

Der Spiegel

that Belarus is already a de facto war party and referred to Russian troops attacking Ukraine from Belarusian territory.

Nevertheless, the expert considers an intervention by Belarusian troops to be unlikely.

There are many family ties between Ukrainians and Belarusians.

Furthermore, the expert said: "The armed forces of Belarus have almost no experience and training for a war of aggression."

(lp)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-03-25

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