Russian troops threaten Belarus sovereignty: opposition – Macau Business

Exiled Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said Sunday that the presence of Russian troops for extended military drills endangered her countrys sovereignty.

The presence of Russian troops on our territory violates our constitution, international law, endangers the security of each Belarusian and the entire region, her office said in a statement.

Her comments came after Belarus said its massive military drills with Russia that had been due to conclude Sunday would continue, citing military activity around its borders and in Ukraine.

The exercises have heightened fears in the West that Russia was preparing an attack on its ex-Soviet neighbour after massing tens of thousands of troops around Ukraines borders.

We demand the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from our territory, Tikhanovskaya said in the statement, adding that her team would seek to have the deployment raised within the UN security council.

Belarus strongman Alexander Lukashenko has become an increasingly close ally of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

This bond grew stronger after Moscow threw its political weight behind Minsk during large anti-government protests in 2020.

Tikhanovskaya said in her statement Sunday that Lukashenko was now paying the price for that support with Belarusian sovereignty and now we are seeing the consequences.

The opposition believe Tikhanovskaya was the true winner of elections in 2020 that sparked the protests and a crackdown that forced the political newcomer into exile in neighbouring EU-member state Lithuania.

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Russian troops threaten Belarus sovereignty: opposition - Macau Business