U.S. State Department building in Washington DCWASHINGTON, Jan 18 Belarus could play a role in Russia's alleged plans on the escalation around Ukraine, a senior State Department official said, without providing any evidence for his claims. Russia categorically denies any allegations of an alleged escalation being prepared. >Details of joint exercises with Russia were revealed in Belarus «Russia, under the pretext of joint exercises, can send forces to Belarus for a potential attack on Ukraine from the north,» a representative of the State Department said during a telephone briefing. Earlier, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus Pavel Muraveiko said that jointly with Russia there will be a sudden test of the forces and means of reaction of the Union State. At the final stage of this event, the Belarusian-Russian exercise «Allied Resolve-2022» will be held. According to the Belarusian Defense Ministry, the exercise will take place from February 10 to 20. The State Department noted that «there should be no doubt about the growing role of Belarus in destabilizing activity in the region,» and the State Department called the announcement of joint exercises between Russia and Belarus «alarming» and » disturbing».
Two S-400 battalions will be deployed to Belarus to test the reaction forces stating that it does not threaten anyone and is not going to attack anyone, and statements about «Russian aggression» are used as an excuse to place more NATO military equipment near Russian borders. The Russian Foreign Ministry previously noted that Western statements about «Russian aggression» and the possibility of helping Kiev defend itself against it are both ridiculous and dangerous. At the same time, Kiev and Western states have recently expressed concern about the alleged increase in «aggressive actions» sides of Russia near the borders of Ukraine. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is moving troops within its territory and at its own discretion. According to him, this does not threaten anyone and should not worry anyone.
