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US redeploys armor unit to Lithuania, 15 km from Belarusian border — Minsk

500 people, 29 tanks and 43 Bradley fighting vehicles would be redeployed in the vicinity of the Belarusian border

MINSK, September 12. /TASS/. Belarus has spotted the redeployment of a US armor battalion to a firing range in Lithuania, located 15 kilometers from the Belarusian border, Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said on Sunday in a televised interview on STV channel after a meeting with President Alexander Lukashenko.

"Fulfilling the head of state’s assignment to follow the situation in the areas adjacent to Belarus and the movement of troops, we can see that NATO is moving forces in the neighboring states as part of Operations Enhanced Forward Presence and Atlantic Resolve," he said. "In particular, the redeployment of the 2nd Battalion of 69th Armor Regiment of the United States to the Pabrade firing range (in Lithuania - TASS), 15 kilometers from our state border, is underway," he added.

According to the Belarusian defense minister, troops’ movements also took place in the spring.

"We cannot help but be alarmed that about 500 people, 29 tanks and 43 Bradley fighting vehicles would be engaged in the vicinity of our border," Khrenin said.

"In addition, we see more intensive flights of [NATO] aircraft along our state border and the surveillance of the ongoing developments in our state. We cannot help but be concerned about the flights of B-52 bombers along our state border," the minister added.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko held a meeting with heads of the defense and law enforcement bodies on Saturday, focusing on the situation on the western border and socio-political developments in the country. He asked the defense minister and the chief of the General Staff to put forward their proposals for the Belarusian army’s actions in the near future. The president said that if NATO forces have wrapped up their military exercises in Poland and Lithuania, Minsk should respond in kind. Lukashenko emphasized that the country cannot keep a large force on the border with Lithuania and Poland for so long if not needed, since it is very costly.

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