Ukraine is set to conduct military exercises from Feb 10 to Feb 20 in response to Russian exercises in Belarus near its northern border, the country's top security official disclosed.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov announced via a local television channel late Monday that Ukrainian soldiers were frequently carrying out different exercises.
He also mentioned that from Feb 10, they would start practicing the utilization of military hardware from foreign allies, including Bayraktar drones and anti-tank Javelin and NLAW missiles.
Western nations fear that Moscow could launch an invasion of Ukraine any time as it assembled more than 100,000 troops on the Ukrainian border and deployed 30,000 more in Belarus for joint military drills this month, according to Reuters.
However, Russia denies such a plan, saying it needs to intensify its defense amid NATO expansion to the East.
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US, NATO Preparing Troops as Ukraine Crisis Continues
Meanwhile, Romanian Defense Minister Vasile Dancu announced on Tuesday that the first US troops strengthening NATO allies on the eastern flank have arrived in Romania.
The United States is sending around 3,000 additional troops to Poland and Romania to protect Eastern Europe against potential fallout from the Ukraine crisis.
According to US News, the Stryker squadron, with roughly 1,000 US service members, was deployed from Vilseck, Germany, to Romania. Troops began arriving in Poland on Saturday, according to the Pentagon.
Germany, meanwhile, said it was considering a boost to its existing military deployment in Lithuania.
NATO is also considering bolstering its military presence in the Baltic states and Poland in preparation if Russia decides to maintain its troops in Belarus after a scheduled military exercise, the head of the alliance's military committee said on Monday.
According to Rob Bauer, a Dutch admiral who leads NATO's top military strategy group, further deployments from NATO coalition members were possible. In a news conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, he said that the troops in the coalition of different nations are "looking at it," and there are possible changes "as a result of these developments."
"It very much depends, of course, on whether the Russian troops in Belarus remain in Belarus," he said.
Russia Continues Military Activities
Moscow has denied the allegations of plotting an invasion of Ukraine. However, Russia pointed out that if its security demands are not granted, it may lead to unspecified military action. It also demanded that NATO should never accept Kyiv as a member, which the US and its European allies denied and deemed unacceptable.
In recent months, per PBS, Russia has undertaken several joint maneuvers with Belarus. It has sent nuclear-capable long-range bombers over Belarus, which borders NATO members Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.
Belarus' authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko has pushed for stronger defense ties with Moscow. He even offered to host Russian nuclear weapons amid harsh Western sanctions sparked by his assault on domestic protesters.
German newspaper Bild published a report on Saturday stating that Russia is planning a multi-pronged invasion on Ukraine, capturing major cities and installing a puppet government. But Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, scoffed at the allegations. Russia earlier announced that it is still open for diplomatic discussions in resolving the crisis.
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