CNBC: Large-scale Russian military exercises in Belarus feared to be set-up for Putin's next conquest
* There is alarm that Russian President Vladimir Putin could use the Zapad joint military exercises next month with Belarus as a sort of Trojan horse or pretext for an annexation of the former Soviet republic, which borders Poland.
* Russia claims there's fewer than 13,000 troops going to the quadrennial war games but some reports suggest the actual amount maybe as many as 100,000 people — and one defense expert tells CNBC "everything points to probably the largest military exercise in post-Soviet history."
* An Estonian defense official back in April disclosed his country and other members of NATO obtained intelligence that Russia planned to send troops and resources to Belarus and leave some military equipment and permanent forces.
There are growing concerns large-scale war games planned next month by Russia with its neighbor Belarus could be a cover for something very sinister by Vladimir Putin — perhaps another Crimea.
There is alarm in Europe that the Russian president could use the military exercises as a sort of Trojan horse or pretext for an annexation of Belarus, a former Soviet republic. Putin has had an increasingly acrimonious relationship with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, particularly since Russia annexed the Ukrainian territory of Crimea.
"Russia is billing it as modest exercises under 13,000 troops, but everything points to probably the largest military exercise in post-Soviet history," said Leon Aron, resident scholar and the director of Russian studies at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington think tank.
Read more ....
Update #1: Russia readies troops for Zapad war games with Belarus (DW)
Update #2: Russian Invasion? Moscow's Rivals Say War Games Are Cover And Troops Won't Leave (Newsweek)
Update #3: #ZapadWatch: Russian Troops in Belarus (Medium)
WNU Editor: Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko is Europe's last dictator .... Belarus: Europe's last dictatorship (Al Jazeera). It's amusing to see Western leaders worried about his future. And as to the question .... will Russia occupy Belarus after the exercises? As of this moment .... I see no evidence of that happening.
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