Large-scale Russian military exercises in Belarus feared to be set-up for Putin's next conquest
There is alarm that Russian President Vladimir Putin could use the Zapad joint military exercises next month with Belarus as a sort of Trojan horse or pretext for an annexation of the former Soviet republic, which borders Poland.
Russia claims there's fewer than 13,000 troops going to the quadrennial war games but some reports suggest the actual amount maybe as many as 100,000 people — and one defense expert tells CNBC "everything points to probably the largest military exercise in post-Soviet history."
An Estonian defense official back in April disclosed his country and other members of NATO obtained intelligence that Russia planned to send troops and resources to Belarus and leave some military equipment and permanent forces.
Jeff Daniels | @jeffdanielsca
Published 15 Hours Ago
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/19/fears-grow-russian-military-drills-in-belarus-are-moscows-next-crimea.html
