Russia shows its might in war games with Belarus but dismisses Western fear of threat
Russia engaged in war games with Belarus in the week-long Zapad 2017 while dismissing allegations the war games could be a cover to station troops and equipment.
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Belarus' president Alexander Lukashenko inspects the troops as they prepare for the joint Russia-Belarus military exercises at the Borisovsky range in Borisov on Wednesday. AP
Code named "Zapad" or "West", foreign analysts, as well as NATO, had voiced concerns that the war games could be a cover to station troops and equipment in Belarus. AP
However, Russia has repeatedly denied these allegations and maintained that the exercise was defensive in nature. It also clarified that the exercise does not target a third country or group of countries. AP
The war games which were held from 14-20 September involved 5,500 Russian and 7,200 Belarusian troops, 70 aircrafts and about 250 tanks, according to officials. AP
However, others believe that the actual numbers are much more. Russia's neighbours are particularly wary of the exercise because right after Zapad 2013, Moscow began its annexation of Crimea. AP