Russia vows to back Belarus against any border provocations

Russia’s permanent representative to the Collective Security Treaty Organization, Viktor Fasilyev, stated that Moscow will provide support to Belarus if the country faces provocations on its borders with Ukraine or other unfriendly states. The assistance could be offered within the framework of the Union State or the CSTO.

The statement followed joint Russian‑Belarusian military exercises held from 19 to 21 May, which focused on the preparation and possible use of nuclear forces. Over 64,000 personnel participated, alongside more than 7,800 weapons systems, including over 200 missile launch platforms, 140 aircraft, 73 ships, 13 submarines – among them eight strategic submarines – and training on the deployment of nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory.