Following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Belarus on Monday, Ukraine is fearful that the former Soviet Union ally country could be preparing to invade..Putin met with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko alongside his defence and foreign ministers. This was his first trip to the country, which is an important ally of the Kremlin, since 2019..Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said while Belarus is Russia's "Number one ally,” worries that Moscow is pressuring Minsk to join in the "special military operation" are "stupid and unfounded fabrications.".Lukashenko has repeatedly claimed that Belarus will not enter the war on Russia’s side..Several military experts have cited concerns with Russian and Belarusian military activity over the last few months. The country was used as a launching pad for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine back in February, allowing Moscow to launch an ultimately unsuccessful attack on the capital of Kyiv..Belarus began moving soldiers and military equipment around the country in December, citing “counter-terrorism threats." And on Monday, it was announced that 9,000 Russian troops that were recently moved into the country will take part in exercises with the Belarusian military..Minsk has also transferred 650,000 rounds of ammunition and 211 items of military equipment — including 122 T-72A main battle tanks — to Russia..Ukrainian joint forces commander Serhiy Nayev had said he believes the talks between Putin and Peskov will be on "further aggression against Ukraine and the broader involvement of the Belarusian armed forces in the operation against Ukraine.”.Last week, Ukraine’s top general Valery Zaluzhniy said Russia was preparing for a major spring offensive with 200,000 fresh troops. Zaluzhniy’s comments line up with those from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who said on December 7 that Russia wants to pause the war in Ukraine in order to “regroup and then launch a bigger offensive.”.Despite aggressive Russian troop movements early in the war, the conflict’s momentum has now turned decidedly in Ukraine’s favour. Russian troops have been pushed out of Kyiv and Kharkiv, and Kherson city was recently liberated by Ukrainian forces..Lukashenko said he and Putin plan to discuss efforts to integrate their respective former Soviet republics in a supranational Union State. Belarus’ political opposition has said the talks could eventually lead to the country's annexation by Russia..The Belarusian president recently made off the cuff remarks that any ceding of sovereignty to Russia would be a betrayal of the Belarusian people.."Particularly after these large-scale negotiations, everyone will say, 'That's it, there are no longer any authorities in Belarus, the Russians are already walking around and running the country,'" Lukashenko said.."I want to again underline this in particular: No one other than us runs Belarus."
