Just a year ago, the situation was completely different. Russia maintained several thousand troops in Belarus, which were regularly transferred under the pretext of exercises. These actions raised serious concerns about Moscow’s intentions and a potential offensive into Ukraine from the south.
Why did Russia withdraw its troops?
The withdrawal of Russian troops can be interpreted as a reduction in tensions in the region. However, experts stress that the situation remains fluid and the return of troops should not be ruled out. Large military maneuvers planned for next year with the participation of Russia and Belarus may be a pretext. At present, the units are likely to move in the direction of Kursk, where Russia is defending itself from Ukraine’s strategic strike maneuver.
While Ukraine sees the withdrawal of Russian troops as a positive sign, it also calls on the Minsk authorities to completely withdraw all armed forces from the border regions. Kiev refers to reports of the concentration of Belarusian troops near the border and the presence of mercenaries from the Russian Wagner Group.
