Moscow / Minsk – Russia has sent two nuclear bombers to Belarus as tensions between Russia and the West escalate over Ukraine. The bombers were sent for patrol and practice, with the Belarusian air force, said Russia. However, the bombers consistently being sent to Belarus may be a part of preparations for an invasion of Ukraine, some analysts have claimed. Before the arrival of the Russian bombers, Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs had declared that his country was ready to deploy Russia’s nuclear weapons.
Russia’s support for Belarus and its growing defence assistance, and extensive military deployment near the Ukrainian border, have raised an atmosphere of concern in the Western countries. NATO member states in Europe, including the United States, have stepped up their military operations near Ukraine. NATO fighter jets, along with the United States and warships, are constantly deployed in the vicinity of Ukraine and an exercise and patrol campaign is also underway. Russia’s resentment has increased with the growing moves of the US and NATO. Russia is resorting to different ways of responding to these moves. The bombers sent to Belarus are believed to be part of the same.
On Saturday, Russia had sent two of its Tu-22M3 strategic nuclear bombers in Belarus. The bombers patrolled and also practised in Belarus’s airspace. The exercise was attended by Belarusian Air Force Su-30 fighter jets. This is for the third time in a month that Russia has sent its bombers to Belarus. The statement of Belarus’s Minister of Foreign Affairs had surfaced before sending bombers from Russia.
‘What President Alexander Lukashenko said that we are considering the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons on the territory of Belarus is one of the likely responses to future possible actions by the North Atlantic Alliance on the territory of Poland,’ said Belarussian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei. The Belarussian President raised the issue of Russia’s nuclear deployment last month. Against this backdrop, the growing number of rounds of Russian bombers in Belarus is catching attention.
Two months ago, members of Ukraine’s parliament had warned that Russia could use Belarus to invade Ukraine. Lukashenko had made a deal with Putin to invade Ukraine to sustain his regime, Yegor Chernev, a member of Parliament from Ukraine’s ruling party, had accused. Russia will not risk a direct attack on Ukraine; hence, the possibility of an attack through Belarus is high, has said Chernev. Russia and Belarus have conducted joint military exercises before and after the warning too, and it is also being hinted that air defence systems such as the S-400 will be deployed.
Belarus has been protesting against President Lukashenko since the month of last August. Western countries have imposed sanctions on Lukashenko for actions taken on the protests. The Belarussian President has taken Russia’s help to come out of this. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed defence and trade agreements with Belarus. In return, the deployment of Russian troops in Belarus is said to have been increased.
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