Defense minister Raukou reacts to ‘hysteria’ about possible occupation by Russia

Andrei Raukou has commented on ‘the hysteria as regards the possible occupation of Belarus by Russian troops. The redeployment of numerous Russian troops to Belarus can be explained by the manoeuvres West-2017, he said. “Russia is our strategic partner”, the Minister of Defence told SB. Belarus Today. The manoeuvres are a way to train the joint Belarus-Russia grouping, he noted.

"The hysteria forced by some ‘experts’ saying that Belarus may be occupied by Russian troops is a mere attempt to get political dividends. Some marginal structures are trying to increase their rating by exploiting Belarus-Russia relations,” Andrei Raukou claimed.

West-2017 is posing no threat to Belarus’ sovereignty, the Minister stressed. Everything including the number of troops and types of machines arriving from Russia needs to be approved by Belarus first. “All is under our control,” Raukou noted. The manoeuvres are posing no threat to the Western countries either because they are defensive, he added.

Raukou is not alarmed by the redeployment of Russian troops towards the Belarusian border either. It is up to Russia, he said.