Belarusian leader visits military base where Russian forces are stationed

President Alexander G. Lukashenko of Belarus on Friday visited a military base in his country where Russia and Belarus have conducted joint exercises, adding to rampant fears that Moscow could use Belarus as a launching pad for a new ground offensive in Ukraine.

Recent interactions between Mr. Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir V. Putin, his close ally and benefactor, have amplified fears that Moscow is trying to drag Belarus, Ukraine's northern neighbor, more directly into the war. Russia used Belarus as a staging point for the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February.

Mr. Lukashenko met Mr. Putin last week at a regional summit in Russia, a week after Mr. Putin's visit to Belarus. While statements from the Kremlin and the Belarusian president's office about the summit did not mention Ukraine, the trip underscored Mr. Lukashenko's closeness to Mr. Putin.

On Friday, Mr Lukashenko toured the military base and training area where Russian forces are stationed alongside his country's troops, addressing soldiers and receiving updates on developments , reported the Belarusian state news agency, Belta.

"It is important not only for me - this experience is important for Belarus", has said Mr. Lukashenko, according to Belta.

The Belarusian leader also checked "the quality of combat training" of a Belarusian army unit and s spoke with Russian military personnel, the agency reported.

His visit came a day after the ministry Belarusian Defense said the formation of what it calls a "joint regional group of troops" with Russia is continuing, step by step, and that the two countries are planning a joint military aviation exercise. /p>

“Personnel, weapons, military and special equipment of the Russian Armed Forces continue in Belarus,” the ministry said in a statement, according to Belta.

Mr. Lukashenko said the joint group was needed to counter "possible aggression" against Belarus by NATO and Ukraine.

Belarus depends on Moscow for the fuel and safety. And although Mr Lukashenko resisted being dragged more centrally into the war, he came under increasing pressure from Moscow.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based research group, said in a report last month that while a new Russian invasion from Belarus was "unlikely" this winter, the threat of such an offensive was "low, but possible".