Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin warns the risk of conflict against Russia and Belarus is extremely high amid NATO buildup in Eastern Europe.
Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said the risk of a conflict being launched against Moscow and Minsk is extremely high, warning that such a confrontation could later grow from a regional crisis into a global one.
Khrenin pointed to the rapid militarization of Europe, the transfer of forces toward NATO’s eastern borders and the expansion of forward military presence in Poland and the Baltic states. In his view, these challenges require the CSTO to act with greater unity, make decisions faster and operate as a single coordinated structure.
Assessing the situation in Eastern Europe, Khrenin said the likelihood of a military conflict against Russia and Belarus, both members of the CSTO, as well as the possibility of its escalation into a global confrontation, is now extremely high.
Earlier, Belarusian First Deputy Defense Minister Pavel Muraveyko said the West was preparing for war. According to him, this involves increased military activity near Belarusian borders, including the deployment and further buildup of NATO forces. He also said that 10 of NATO’s 19 battalion tactical groups are already positioned near the Belarusian border.