Belarus insists its ally Russia 'won't wage war' as 100,000 troops stage huge military drills near the Polish border and Lithuania warns the Kremlin is 'training its army to attack the West'

  • War games code named 'Zapad' or 'West' are taking place south west of Minsk, Belarus near the Polish border
  • Lithuania says 100,000 Russian troops are taking part, but Moscow insists the real number is closer to 12,700
  • There are fears Russia is rehearsing for an occupation of nearby countries and plans to leave troops in Belarus
  • But Belarus insists 'we won't wage war on anyone' while Russia says exercises are purely defensive in nature

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Belarus has insisted its ally Russia 'won't wage war' as 100,000 of Vladimir Putin's troops continue to stage military drills on the Polish border and Lithuania warned the Kremlin is 'training its army to attack the West'.

War games code named 'Zapad' or 'West' are taking place near Minsk amid Nato fears Moscow is using the training as a cover to station soldiers and equipment in the country.

Russia's neighbours have said they fear Moscow could use the exercises as a rehearsal for an occupation of adjacent nations like Poland, Ukraine or the three Baltic republics - all of which were under Moscow's rule before the Communist Soviet Union broke up in 1991.

Belarus has insisted its ally Russia 'won't wage war' as 100,000 of Vladimir Putin's troops continue to stage military drills on the Polish border and Lithuania warned the Kremlin is 'training its army to attack the West'

Belarus has insisted its ally Russia 'won't wage war' as 100,000 of Vladimir Putin's troops continue to stage military drills on the Polish border and Lithuania warned the Kremlin is 'training its army to attack the West'

Aerial bombardment: War games code named 'Zapad' or 'West' are taking place in Belarus amid Nato fears Moscow is using the training as a cover to station soldiers and equipment in the country

Aerial bombardment: War games code named 'Zapad' or 'West' are taking place in Belarus amid Nato fears Moscow is using the training as a cover to station soldiers and equipment in the country

Explosive: Shells explode during the Zapad (West) 2017 Russia-Belarus military exercises at the Borisovsky range in Borisov, Belarus, today

Explosive: Shells explode during the Zapad (West) 2017 Russia-Belarus military exercises at the Borisovsky range in Borisov, Belarus, today

Military power: Tanks could be seen rumbling across open land in Belarus - which borders Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine -  amid fears Putin is planning on leaving troops in the country when the games are over

Military power: Tanks could be seen rumbling across open land in Belarus - which borders Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine -  amid fears Putin is planning on leaving troops in the country when the games are over

The Kremlin has repeatedly said the exercises, which began on September 14, are purely defensive in nature and do not target a third country or group of countries.

Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko added today: 'The attempt to discredit the exercises is extremely unprofessional.

'We won't wage war on anyone. Do not expect any attack from us - especially on Ukraine,' he told reporters at a firing range 47 miles east of Belarus's capital Minsk after overseeing the last day of Zapad manoeuvres.

'All the troops will be back to the sites of their permanent deployment,' he said, dressed in camouflage uniform as supreme commander.

'In a week, this issue will become irrelevant.' 

The Kremlin has repeatedly said the exercises, which began on September 14, are purely defensive in nature and do not target a third country or group of countries. A Ka-52 Alligator military helicopter fires missiles during the  war games at a range near the town of Borisov in Belarus

The Kremlin has repeatedly said the exercises, which began on September 14, are purely defensive in nature and do not target a third country or group of countries. A Ka-52 Alligator military helicopter fires missiles during the war games at a range near the town of Borisov in Belarus

Show of force: Belarussian servicemen stand in line during the Zapad 2017 war games at a range near the town of Borisov, Belarus

Show of force: Belarussian servicemen stand in line during the Zapad 2017 war games at a range near the town of Borisov, Belarus

Attention: Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko (left) insists there is not a plan to 'wage war' amid fears the country and its ally Russia is rehearsing for an occupation of neighbouring countries

Attention: Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko (left) insists there is not a plan to 'wage war' amid fears the country and its ally Russia is rehearsing for an occupation of neighbouring countries

Russia's neighbours have said they fear Moscow could use the exercises as a rehearsal for an occupation of adjacent nations like Poland, Ukraine or the three Baltic republics - all of which were under Moscow's rule before the Communist Soviet Union broke up in 1991

Russia's neighbours have said they fear Moscow could use the exercises as a rehearsal for an occupation of adjacent nations like Poland, Ukraine or the three Baltic republics - all of which were under Moscow's rule before the Communist Soviet Union broke up in 1991

The U.S.-led Nato alliance has said the drills lack transparency and the number of troops taking part could be much larger than the 12,700 servicemen declared by Moscow and Minsk. 

Poland and the Baltics are now members of NATO and the European Union, while Ukraine is pursuing such ties. 

On an overcast and rainy day, Lukashenko watched from a vantage point as allied troops of Russia and Belarus repelled a simulated attack by forces of three fictitious neighbouring nations on Belarus.

Aircraft zeroed in on ground targets after mock dogfighting, after which a ground offensive unfolded.

The U.S.-led Nato alliance has said the drills lack transparency and the number of troops taking part could be much larger than the 12,700 servicemen declared by Moscow and Minsk. This was the scene as shells exploded at Borisov during the drills

The U.S.-led Nato alliance has said the drills lack transparency and the number of troops taking part could be much larger than the 12,700 servicemen declared by Moscow and Minsk. This was the scene as shells exploded at Borisov during the drills

Disciplined: Russian servicemen stand in line as they prepare to take part in the joint war games in Belarus

Disciplined: Russian servicemen stand in line as they prepare to take part in the joint war games in Belarus

Poland and the Baltics are now members of NATO and the European Union, while Ukraine is pursuing such ties. Helicopters can be seen taking part in the joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises today

Poland and the Baltics are now members of NATO and the European Union, while Ukraine is pursuing such ties. Helicopters can be seen taking part in the joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises today

The Kremlin said on Wednesday it had provided exhaustive information on the exercises before they were held to the military attaches of all interested countries and allowed their observers to attend the event to allay any concerns

The Kremlin said on Wednesday it had provided exhaustive information on the exercises before they were held to the military attaches of all interested countries and allowed their observers to attend the event to allay any concerns

Hours earlier, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite— made the exercises the centrepiece of her annual speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

'Even as we speak, around 100,000 Russian troops are engaged in offensive military exercise 'Zapad 2017' on the borders of the Baltic States, Poland and even in the Arctic,' she said.

'The Kremlin is rehearsing aggressive scenarios against its neighbours, training its army to attack the West. The exercise is also part of information warfare aimed at spreading uncertainty and fear.'

The Kremlin said on Wednesday it had provided exhaustive information on the exercises before they were held to the military attaches of all interested countries and allowed their observers to attend the event to allay any concerns.

The Zapad 2017 exercises, held jointly by Russia and Belarus, got underway Thursday at several firing ranges in both countries and run through Wednesday.

The Zapad 2017 exercises, held jointly by Russia and Belarus, got underway Thursday at several firing ranges in both countries and run through Wednesday.

Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo also voiced disquiet at the exercises and said Warsaw opposed any lifting of Western sanctions imposed on Russia over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and role in its separatist conflict

Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo also voiced disquiet at the exercises and said Warsaw opposed any lifting of Western sanctions imposed on Russia over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and role in its separatist conflict

The drills have rattled some NATO members, including the Baltic states and Poland, who have criticized an alleged lack of transparency about the war games and questioned Moscow's intentions

The drills have rattled some NATO members, including the Baltic states and Poland, who have criticized an alleged lack of transparency about the war games and questioned Moscow's intentions

Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko, second left, speaks to Belarus-Russia's top officers as they arrive at the Zapad (West) 2017 joint Russia-Belarus military exercises today

Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko, second left, speaks to Belarus-Russia's top officers as they arrive at the Zapad (West) 2017 joint Russia-Belarus military exercises today

'I think that upon receiving this information Ms. Grybauskaite will have a chance to change her point of view,' President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo also voiced disquiet at the exercises and said Warsaw opposed any lifting of Western sanctions imposed on Russia over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and role in its separatist conflict.

'We are very concerned by what is happening in Belarus, from the exercises there,' Szydlo said during a visit to Bulgaria.

 

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