Russian troops will remain indefinitely, says Belarus, as fears rise of Ukraine invasion

[inanna]

Source: Guardian

Sun 20 Feb 2022 12.44 GMT

Defence minister says soldiers will stay after end of joint exercises due to ‘escalation of situation’ in Donbas

Russian troops sent to Belarus for military exercises will remain in the country indefinitely, Belarus’s defence ministry has said, in a decision that will further fuel concerns Moscow is planning an imminent Ukraine invasion.

Belarus’s defence minister, Gen Viktor Khrenin, said Russian soldiers would stay after large-scale joint drills were completed on Sunday. He said the move was necessary because of the “escalation of the situation” in the Donbas, in the east of Ukraine.

The Kremlin had promised to remove its forces from Belarus once the 10-day exercise, which began on 10 February, ended. It has deployed what the Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said was the largest concentration of soldiers and modern weapons in Belarus since the cold war.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/20/russian-troops-will-remain-indefinitely-says-belarus-as-fears-rise-of-ukraine-invasion

[cilla4progress]

1. Fucking fuckers

Keep the whole world on edge indefinitely.

[onecaliberal]

2. In upside down propaganda world.

[dalton99a]

3. As widely predicted

[COL Mustard]

7. Lukashenko has ceased to be President

Of an independent Belarus. Today he essentially became the Premier of the Belarusian SSR, with Putin as Secretary General. We are now back to the future. If I lived in the Baltics, I'd be very concerned...even though they are part of NATO and have the protections of Article 5. I think Putin is pushing it as far as hecan to see what we and our allies will do. It may get very very ugly very very quickly.

[PSPS]

13. I think Lukashenko stopped being a legitimate president in 2020 when he "won" with 80%

That election was a sham, just like those in Russia. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is still in exile in Poland.

[crickets]

18. Yep. That's one country back in the fold as a satellite state, without a shot fired.

Doubtless Putin is pleased at his progress in reconstituting the SSR he so dearly desires.

[COL Mustard]

20. And if you notice

He's now expanded to the NATO border, not the other way around.

[yaesu]

4. Vladimir Putin told Emmanuel Macron Russian troops would leave Belarus after completion of its

military exercises, Reuters reports, citing a French official. Western countries will no doubt attach little value to that assurance, given that Russian troops were expected to leave today, until it was announced otherwise.

Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron have agreed to try to secure a ceasefire in the Donbas, in eastern Ukraine, and to put together an urgent summit at the highest level on the future of Ukraine, the Élysée Palace said in a statement.

The two leaders spoke on the phone for 105 minutes, and the outcome, broadly confirmed by the Kremlin, suggests Russia might be willing to step back from the brink of a full invasion of Ukraine to allow renewed diplomatic discussions.

So, is putin looking for a face saving way out of his mess or is Macron his unknowing tool? I guess time will tell.

and it was just reported that A truck belonging to the Ukrainian mission to the JCCC (Joint Control and Coordination Commission) monitoring the ceasefire has apparently been destroyed by Russia backed LPR fire at a checkpoint North West of Luhansk city.
Here is the video just posted but there hasn't been official confirmation.

Link to tweet

[malthaussen]

5. "Fear of Ukranian invasion," forsooth.

The tag line of the Fallout series is "War never changes." One could argue about that, but it sure does seem like Lies Never Change.

-- Mal

[Baitball Blogger]

6. That's a logistical nightmare.

Soldier's morale will degrade.

[COL Mustard]

8. Belarus has always been Russia's closest ally of the former Soviet Republics.

Culturally and ethnically they're very similar. Also, don't forget that the Russian troops are still mostly conscripts who will be in uniform for not very long. They will have great stories to tell when they return home.

Yes, if they live in tents for two years it'll be a bad thing for morale, but if they build or occupy cantonment areas they can have many of the luxuries of home...whatever that might mean to a Russian soldier.

[Traildogbob]

9. Wanna bet

That all Russian Soldiers are not on performance inhancing drugs? 🤔 Keeps em happy. There are no oversight regulations like the ones on their Olympic athletes. Those soldiers probably look like Rocky’s opponent. All of em. May be cloned. Happy?…….they have one emotion, programmed in. Kill Murkkka. Obey Pooty.

[COL Mustard]

17. When I was in the Army (US) back in the day

We thought Ivan was 10 feet tall and bulletproof. He bleeds just like we do. But yeah, I wouldn't have wanted to face him then, and I wouldn't want to face him now. They are a near-peer competitor in many ways and have observed our equipment, tactics and most importantly our mistakes over the past 20 years. They are formidable but not invincible.

[AntiFascist]

22. CNN reported that many of these troops have Covid after staying in such close quarters n/t

[Traildogbob]

23. Wow

Not like they refuse injections into their bodies, right. The athletes have needle marks. It would be interesting if half of those troops end up on vents and die. Putin May then have to use his nuke toys. We should go back to swords, arrows and axes on the battlefield. Less collateral damage. Lots of conquering went on with just that.

[yaesu]

10. New Sea of Azov NOTAM, going active at midnight (5pm est): "Tempo Danger Area SFC - Unlimited""

Notice to Airmen (NOTAM). Essentially warning pilots of potential hazards, some are speculating that its in preparation for an amphibious assault. .

[COL Mustard]

19. Don't need anymore "accidental" shootdowns of Malaysian Airlines flights

That was an accident like KAL 007 was a misidentification. Both were designed to send messages.

[PSPS]

11. They should have put quotation marks around 'Ukraine invasion'

[Corgigal]

12. Time to make, a not a base in Ukrainian.

Put a McDonalds in it, loads of American military people.

Name it, Not A Base.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

14. Lukashenko want them there to protect him from his own countrymen.

[sarisataka]

15. Wow, who could have seen that coming

[Happy Hoosier]

16. Putin lied? I'm totally shocked. NT

[moondust]

21. COVID complications and timing concerns.

CNN "experts" say COVID is keeping people at home in Ukraine as well as affecting Russian military forces.

Record Covid cases in Russia and Ukraine complicate military plans

As for timing, on the first day of the Beijing 2008 Olympics Russia invaded Georgia. In 2014, three days before the end of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Russia annexed Crimea.

Russia uses Olympics as cover for invasions

Also, Wednesday, February 23, is Red Army Day (name changed several times) which may or may not have some bearing on current Russian plans.

Also, Russia has issued 700,000+ Russian passports to residents of eastern Ukraine. Maybe Ukraine should deport them as illegal aliens and confiscate what's left of their property.

[Turbineguy]

24. It's the

"I'm not touching you" game.