Russia has started to move its troops towards Belarus for joint military exercises and live-fire drills as fears increase of an invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.
Train and road convoys of armoured vehicles have been arriving after president Alexander Lukashenko announced upcoming war games with Russian forces next month.
The military exercises named United Resolve in Ukraine's northern neighbour are taking place at the same time as Russia continues to amass troops on Ukraine's eastern border, setting the scene for a potential invasion.
Military analysts have suggested Russia could send its forces through Belarus to stretch out Ukraine's defences, taking advantage of their shared 700-mile border.
Lukashenko and his security henchmen have pointed to an alleged build-up of Ukrainian forces near his border, suggesting this justifies a stronger military presence.
Russia has started to move its troops towards Belarus for joint military exercises and live-fire drills as fears increase of an invasion of neighbouring Ukraine
Russia is continuing to amass troops on Ukraine's eastern border, setting the scene for a potential invasion
Train and road convoys of armoured vehicles have been arriving after president Alexander Lukashenko announced upcoming war games
The strongman has formed closer ties with Vladimir Putin in response to pressure from the West over his autocratic regime, publicly supporting the 2014 annexation of Crimea.
The Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT), a Russian group monitoring military movements, said more military hardware from the Russian far east is expected in Belarus.
Two S-400 mobile surface to air missile battalions, a Pantsir-S battalion and 12 Su-35 fighters will also be transferred for exercises, it was revealed today.
Meanwhile, Britain last night sent troops and hi-tech weapons to Ukraine in a bid to thwart the feared Russian invasion.
Two RAF transporters flew badly needed missile systems to Kiev's forces, and troops aboard the planes will remain in Ukraine to teach their counterparts how to combat Russian tanks.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the deployment came 'in light of the increasingly threatening behaviour from Russia'.
Putin has justified the war games with Belarus because of alleged Nato interference in Poland and the Baltic states which he says threatens Russia.
Lukashenko said: 'Why are we and Russia being reproached for holding manoeuvres, exercises and so forth when you’ve come from far away?'
Putin has justified the war games because of alleged Nato interference in Poland and the Baltic states which he says threatens Russia
'Planned' Russian tank war games shown on video and involving 2,000-plus soldiers were staged at the Kirillovsky and Luzhsky training grounds
Meanwhile, 'planned' Russian tank war games shown on video and involving 2,000-plus soldiers were staged at the Kirillovsky and Luzhsky training grounds in Leningrad region.
These drills involved T-72B3 tanks, AGS-17 automatic grenade launchers, RPG-7V grenade launchers, AK-74M assault rifles and SVD-M sniper rifles, according to the Russian defence ministry.
This 'combat training' in Russia's Western military district, which borders Ukraine, involved 'methods of covert movement' in winter conditions.
In Orenburg,
