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President Lukashenko during an inspection of the joint Russian-Belarusian force
Photo: Andrei Stasevich / BelTA / AP / dpa
According to official information, against the background of the Ukraine war, Belarus wants to hold a two-week air force maneuver with the Russian armed forces from mid-January.
"From January 16 to February 1, 2023, collective air tactical exercises of the armed forces of Belarus and Russia will be held," the Belarusian Defense Ministry announced on Sunday in its Telegram channel.
Both countries formed the joint task force in the fall - officially to protect the external borders of the Russian-Belarusian Union.
Around 9,000 Russian soldiers are stationed in Belarus at this base.
Ruler Alexander Lukashenko only paid a visit to the troops on Friday.
According to the Belarusian Defense Ministry, the Russian air force units arrived in Belarus on Sunday.
All airfields and military training areas of the air force and air defense in Belarus are said to be involved in the two-week exercises.
Direct involvement in the Ukraine war excluded
In the past few weeks there has been repeated speculation about a renewed Russian attack on Ukraine from Belarusian territory.
Already at the beginning of the war, the troops of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin had used the ex-Soviet republic as a staging area for the invasion of Ukraine.
However, Lukashenko has so far avoided direct involvement of Belarusian soldiers in the hostilities.
According to him, the Belarusian army, which is 35,000 to 40,000 strong, will not solve the problem of this campaign for Russia.
"We don't interfere, we don't kill anyone, we don't send soldiers there because it's not necessary," Lukashenko said.
Belarus supports Russia, but its role is different.
The politician, who is no longer recognized as president by the EU, is heavily dependent on Moscow politically, economically and militarily.
ok/dpa