Russia has withdrawn a rapidly formed unit of “law enforcement reserves” that had been standing by to intervene in Belarus if the country’s post-election unrest got out of hand, the Kremlin said Monday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Aug. 27 that he has formed the unit of law enforcement officers at the request of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Putin said it would be deployed as soon as “extremists start plundering” amid sustained demonstrations against Lukashenko’s disputed presidential election victory Aug. 9.
Putin and Lukashenko agreed at a summit in southern Russia that the unit will stand down, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said following their talks Monday evening.
On Tuesday morning, Russian state television showed what it said were live images of truckloads of the units returning to their areas of deployment.
Meanwhile, Russian troops arrived in Belarus on Monday for 10-day “Slavic Brotherhood 2020” drills. Serbia, which was originally scheduled to join the drills, pulled out at the last minute.
The Belarusian defense ministry said Tuesday that it did not rule out a military response to outside threats.
In the wake of widespread post-election protests, Lukashenko has ordered multiple war games, stepped up border security and deployed troops in Minsk as a show of force.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
