Satellite imagery shows Russia concentrating forces in Belarus
In February this year Russia Large-scale in Belarus military when conducting exercises, both countries described it as a defensive exercise.
However, 30,000 people were later deployed in Belarus Russia most of his army Ukraine entered its territory.
Thousands of new satellite images obtained by RFE/RL’s Belarus service Russia it can be seen that the soldier is returning to Belarus. This raises questions about the possibility of a new attack on Ukraine from the north. But on the other hand, Moscow can try to distract Kiev with the help of Minsk.
Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington military analyst Mark Kancian says enough for the Russians to attack Ukraine from Belarus military has no power and there are no important Ukrainian targets nearby.”
“Perhaps the Russians want to distract the Ukrainians and get them to withdraw part of their forces from Kherson and Donbass,” – he says.
Satellite images taken on October 31 by the commercial company Planet Lab show that Russia has erected more than 300 tents in three locations over the past few months. These tents are for temporary accommodation of soldiers in Belarus.
190 of the tents were erected in Obuz-Lyasnouski district in the west of Belarus. Ground troops are trained here. Artillery troops are training in Repishcha, where 35 tents are set up in the central part of Belarus. 80 tents were set up in Lasvida district near Minsk and here weather forces are being trained.
Obuz-Lyasnouski is the southernmost of these points, that is Ukraine is located at the closest distance to the border. Here Ukraine 160 kilometers north of the border.
From the footage, it can be seen that hundreds of military equipment, including military trucks and howitzers, have been brought to the area.
Most of the tents are 12 x 7 meters in size. Washington-based RAND Corp. political think tank military analyst Dara Massicot says that 24-25 of these tents soldier is located.
This means that the maximum number of tents erected in these three locations is 7,500 soldier may be placed.
It is not known how many soldiers are stationed in nearby training areas and stone buildings.
October 10Belarusian leader in Alexander Lukashenko He announced that Russian troops will be brought to Belarus. But he said that it is defensive and even of Ukraine claimed that he was planning an attack.
A few days later, Lukashenka’s defense minister said that a total of 9,000 soldiers will be deployed along with Belarusian soldiers near the Ukrainian border.
Ukrainian intelligence of Russia to Ukraine 20 He says he plans to deploy a thousand troops. Ukraine Russia says its soldiers can be stationed not only in bases, but also in civilian areas, including warehouses, hangars and abandoned farms. This makes it difficult to determine the exact number of Russian soldiers in Belarus using only satellite images.
Gathering of Russian troops in Belarus of Ukraine it may also have the intention to withdraw his troops from the eastern and southern fronts and direct them to the north. This is the conclusion of the Institute of War Studies.
In a statement issued on November 2, the institute said that the probability of Belarusian forces participating in the war is very low. This could strain Belarus’ already limited military resources and make it more difficult for Lukashenka, who has held power for 30 years, to stay in power, the statement said.
Analysts discuss another version: Russia wants to use these camps it has established in Belarus for training purposes, as there are not enough facilities on its territory.
On November 4 President Vladimir Putin Russia has a total of 318 thousand soldier announced that he mobilized.