Lukashenko promises to ’smack hard’ at Western provocations as Russia, Belarus prepare for drills

Russian Military on January 21 published footage of troop deployment to Belarus earlier last week, for the Allied Resolve 2022 exercise, which is planned from February 10 to 20 and involves several military facilities near the western and southern borders of Belarus. The drills are coming at a time of soaring tensions between East and West over Ukraine, with reportedly around 100,000 Russian troops gathered near its border with Ukraine, and just after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had talked with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Lavrov said Russia has no plans to attack Ukraine and demanded NATO stop expanding eastward after his meeting with Blinken. On the same day, Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus, made a similar point. He insisted that Belarus wants no war, but will not hesitate to hit back hard against provocations, intimidations, sanctions and so on from the West and Ukraine. “They should never mess with us. It’s impossible to defeat us.“ He added. Editor: Wang Zhong _____