Russia's close ally Belarus announced a snap military inspection on Tuesday including increased combat readiness in the south of the country, the latest in a burst of exercises that have prompted concern from neighbouring Ukraine.
A flurry of Belarusian military action, including a counter-terrorism exercise last week, has kept Ukraine guessing about Minsk's intentions and raised concerns in Kyiv that it might join the war on Russia's side. Russia and Belarus are formally part of a "union state" and are closely allied economically and militarily.
In a video statement published by the Belarus Defence Ministry, Alexander Volfovich, state secretary of the Security Council, said the checks would encompass practically all Belarus's operational commands, but initially units that would be the first to respond to any escalation "either on the Belarus border or within the country".
