Russia sends high-ranking military representative to closest ally

Moscow’s deputy head of its Ukraine mission has arrived in Belarus on a “working trip” | The Russian Ground Forces commander-in-chief, General Oleg Salyukov, arrived in Belarus on Thursday with a group of Defense Ministry officials on a “working trip,” the ministry said in a Telegram post. ● Saluykov visited a military range where Russian troops are stationed, and received updates from unit commanders on operational coordination and joint combat training. The general also inspected the facilities and living conditions of the Russian troops, and spoke with the soldiers, according to the Defense Ministry. ● Russian troops are undergoing an “intensive combat training course” on the Belarusian training ranges, the ministry said, adding that exercises are run both during the day and night. The course involves firing and tactical driving exercises, as well as psychological training and tactical medicine.

Объясняет Readovka | Kiev's fears - Ukraine seriously fears a Russian offensive from the territory of Belarus | It is not only the Russian army that is preparing, but also the enemy — here the word "fears" or "fears" should rather be applied — in anticipation of large-scale events on the SSR fronts, the feeling of which now hovers in the air. The Ukrainian command is trying diligently to strengthen its defences in the Rivne region, fearful of a possible Russian offensive from Belarus. By the way, General Salyukov, commander-in-chief of the Russian Ground Forces, arrived in RB yesterday. ● Of all the fears of the Ukrainian command, the approach of Russian forces from the direction of Belarus is probably the most enduring. To protect against hypothetical "hordes from the east" the AFU is building fortifications near Rivne and installing mine barriers in the north of the Kiev region - on transport routes and infrastructure facilities. They want to build a kind of "Zaluzhny Line" around the capital - the AFU construction battalions are building reinforced concrete pillboxes. At least geography has not been abolished in Ukrainian schools - the enemy has realized that Kiev is not a deep rear in relation to the Belarusian border. ● The activity of the Ukrainian armed forces in the regions bordering Belarus has also been noticed by western publications - the other day, Reuters released several reports on the actions of the Ukrainian army in this direction. Konrad Muzyka, head of the analytical company Rochan Consulting, invited by journalists as an expert, assessed the Russian-Belarusian exercises as "the largest since the Cold War. ● The enemy is also pulling in infantry - TRO units in the capital region are forming a large grouping of troops. The embassies of Ukraine's respected Western friends are in the capital - they must be defended to the last man. ● As we said earlier, it is impossible to say with certainty now whether the prospects of a Russian offensive from the territory of Belarus are realistic. If it happens, even with all the Western support, it is absolutely unclear how and by whom the AFU plans to hold a front that has doubled in size in theory. Whether such an offensive happens or not, we are in any case in for a brutal but interesting time. (Link)(Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator)(free version)