US To Watch Russia's Exercise For Possible Increased Military Presence In Belarus - Envoy

The United States and its NATO allies will closely watch Russia's military exercise near its western borders this year with a particular focus on how many of its troops will enter Belarus and leave once the drill is over, US Ambassador-Designate to Belarus Julie Fisher said on Wednesday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th June, 2021) The United States and its NATO allies will closely watch Russia's military exercise near its western borders this year with a particular focus on how many of its troops will enter Belarus and leave once the drill is over, US Ambassador-Designate to Belarus Julie Fisher said on Wednesday.

"This year is the year of major Russian military exercise, Zapad [West] which we are watching very closely to see how this exercise will unfold, what kinds of troops and equipment move into Belarus and how much of that leaves. The Zapad exercise is one that NATO pays very close attention to and we will continue to do it this year," Fisher told the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Fisher claimed that amid the ongoing conflict with domestic opposition and international isolation, Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko is increasingly more reliant on Russia and keeps ceding the country's sovereignty in exchange for support of his rule.

"It is Lukashenko's willingness to increase dependency on Russia in every possible sphere that his brought him to the point of being in no position of barely having a say in what it is Russia would decide to do militarily in Belarus," Fisher said.

Fisher took part in the Senate panel's hearing on the US policy on Belarus.