Russia ally Belarus carries out snap inspection of troop combat readiness

Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has launched a snap inspection of its troops' combat readiness following an order from President Alexander Lukashenko, the defence ministry said on Tuesday. It was the latest in a flurry of military actions, including a counter-terrorism exercise last week, that have raised fears Russia may mount an attack on Ukraine from Belarusian territory in coming months.

Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has launched a snap inspection of its troops' combat readiness following an order from President Alexander Lukashenko, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.

It was the latest in a flurry of military actions, including a counter-terrorism exercise last week, that have raised fears Russia may mount an attack on Ukraine from Belarusian territory in coming months. Belarus has said it will not enter the war in Ukraine, but Lukashenko has in the past ordered troops to deploy with Russian forces near the Ukrainian border, citing threats to Belarus from Kyiv and the West.

Russia and Belarus are formally part of a "union state" and are closely allied economically and militarily, with Moscow using Belarus as a staging post for its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. As part of the exercise announced on Tuesday, troops will have to quickly move to "designated areas", use equipment and set up bridge crossings over the Neman and Berezina rivers in western and eastern Belarus, the defence ministry said.

"During this period it is planned to move military equipment and personnel, and to temporarily restrict the movement of citizens (transport) along certain public roads and sections of terrain," it said.