Russia and Belarus announce extension of military exercise on border with Ukraine

Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin announced that the military drills carried out together with Russia on the Ukrainian border will be extended due to the tension that has existed in recent days in Donbas.

In his statements, the Minister noted that the increased military presence near the borders aggravates the situation.

"Faced with the increase in military activity near the external borders of the Union State and the aggravation of the situation in Donbas, the Presidents of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation have decided to continue checking the response forces of the State of the Union," said Khrenin.

Likewise, the senior official took the opportunity to denounce that Ukraine "is accumulating the most advanced weapons urgently and unscheduled."

He also explained that in the middle of the process "the military and transport infrastructures have been modernized." The minister pointed out that "Europe is being pushed into war" and that there is a smell of gunpowder that attracts attention in the region.

For Belarus and Russia, the purpose of the drills that both countries carry out is to "guarantee an adequate response and the de-escalation of the enemies' military preparations."

Russia's position

The Russian government has spoken out in the face of increased tensions both on the Ukrainian border and in some cities due to "alleged" attacks by Kiev on pro-Russian military bases.

The spokesman for the Russian presidency, Dmitri Peskov, in his statements pointed out that any unforeseen event could bring irreparable consequences.

At the same time, he assured that the strategy of Ukraine and the West to give constantly is a "disastrous practice" that seeks to create expectations against Russia's military exercises on the border.

Ukraine prepares

According to information released by the groups of the Donetsk People's Republics (DPR) and Lugansk People's Republics (LPR), the Ukrainian government has orchestrated a series of attacks against its territory, which means a violation of the Minsk Treaty and the ceasefire.

In the opinion of the Russian rebels, this military movement from Kiev could be a sign that they want an armed solution to the existing conflict.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's defense minister, Alexei Reznikov, denies that this is the government's wish, which is committed to a peaceful and diplomatic solution.